A Trip to Remember
by animeflux
Summary: A college trio decides to take a vacation. Guess where they're headed? R&R (Ch.18 is up! Can you believe it?)
1. Road Trip

Silent Hill: A Trip to Remember  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Silent Hill or any of its characters. I only own the ones that aren't in the games. I also don't own Korn. Duh.   
  
If you like, please R/R. As long as people read it, I'll keep writing it.   
  
  
  
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Chapter 1: Road Trip  
  
You know, you would think taking a vacation would seem like a good idea. What's better than getting away from all the bustle of busy life and just relaxing for a week or two? Sure beats college exams and late shifts at Pizza World. At least, that's what I used to think.   
  
"Oh for God's sake, Kuri, will you can it already? How much did you think a vacation costs? You're lucky you got such cheap rates at the hotel, anyway. I wish I had parents that could hook me up like that."   
  
Stephanie Hancock shook her head at me from the back seat. Her curly, red hair flailed about in the breeze coming through the open window. That hair always reminded me of flames, and her pale skin only added to the intensity of its color.   
  
"Hmph." I stated blandly.   
  
I suppose I couldn't really blame her for being upset. I'd been going on about it ever since I booked our hotel reservations. All I could really say was this place had better be worth it for the price.   
  
Looking in the rearview mirror, I saw Todd sleeping, his face squashed up against the window. His short, spiky black hair sat stationary upon his head, apparently too slathered with gel to be bothered by the wind. As usual, he wore sunglasses, but that was nothing new. He'd had to wear them ever since he was young due to some abnormal eye condition. All we knew was that bright light hurt his eyes. We never questioned him about it; he looked good in the glasses anyway.   
  
As for me, well, I was your average American/Asian female. My father, an American, was on a business trip over in Osaka, Japan, where he met my mother. They started talking, and things went from there. Eventually they moved over to America and settled down in Ohio. Soon after, I came along. I'd inherited my mother's straight, black hair and pale, soft skin. My dad gave me his mulish attitude and perfectionism, which I sometimes cursed him for.   
  
Nevertheless, here I was, with my best friends in the back, taking a road trip to a resort town called Silent Hill. I still remembered how odd it was deciding on this place. We'd mentioned going on vacation once finished with our semester exams. The next morning, my mailbox conveniently had a tourist brochure in it advertising Silent Hill. Apparently, the place had been vamped up over the years and was now a booming tourist area, complete with an amusement park, a lake for skiing and boating, bowling, and mountain hiking.   
  
Upon discussing it with Todd and Stephanie, we decided to go for it, so I called up the hotel and made reservations. I remember being wierded out by the manager's raspy voice on the phone, but I imagine he'd smoked a pack a day ever since he was twelve, so no sympathy there.   
  
Up ahead, a green sign came into view. Silent Hill - 13 miles.   
  
"Hey guys, we're almost there. Another ten or fifteen minutes," I said, looking in the mirror. Stephanie craned her head out over the seat in front, trying to see anything. There was really nothing to see except an ascending stretch of highway leading up into the mountains. Once we got a little bit into the mountains, a guardrail lined the right side of the road.   
  
"Hey, Todd, wake up! Look how high up we're getting," Steph said as she elbowed Todd in the shoulder. Sitting up groggily, he looked around.   
  
"Whoa," Todd said, stretching his arms, "looks like we're almost there, huh?"  
  
"I don't see how you sleep for so long in a car," said Stephanie, still looking out at the cliff to our side. "You've only been awake for a few hours this whole trip."  
  
"Well, the conversation thus far hasn't been very stimulating, you know," he said, grinning.  
  
Steph turned and stuck out her tongue.   
  
"All right, you two, let's just get there," I remarked, reaching for the radio. Commercial. Next station. Korn. Ah, that's better, I thought, as the music invaded the silence. I noticed in the mirror that my companions were already smiling and bobbing their heads to the beat, mouthing the words to the chorus. I smiled and did the same.  
  
A few minutes went by as we climbed higher and higher into the mountains. The pine trees, now far below us, hid the ground below, as if there was none there to begin with. As I drove, I noticed a thin layer of fog begin to materialize, growing a bit thicker with each passing moment. Since it was only about 1:00 in the afternoon, it struck me as a little odd.   
  
Driving through the mist, we soon arrived at a parking lot and a public bathroom. The road we'd been taking just stopped, the side of the mountain curving and cutting it off. Apparently you either had to park here to get to the town, or there was a road I'd missed. Judging by the lack of cars in the lot, I guessed the latter.   
  
I parked over by the only car in the lot, an old blue Chevy whose driver-side door was hanging wide open.   
  
"Hmm," I remarked as I saw the car, "apparently whoever owns this thing isn't concerned about it being stolen."  
  
"Look at it," said Todd," would you want to steal that?" He was right. The thing looked at least fifteen years old, from the rusty steel frame to the dusty, molding interior. It looked as if it'd just been left there to rot.   
  
"Ok, pee break!" I said, getting out of the car. By God, did it feel good to stretch my legs. I must've been driving at least 10 hours straight, I thought, quickly making my way to the bathroom. The door was rusted and hanging open, and once inside, I was more than a little disappointed.   
  
The ground was covered in litter and puddles of rusty water dripping from the sinks. The stalls were all missing their doors, and the walls were plastered in the foulest graffiti.   
  
"Oh, gross!" exclaimed Stephanie, walking in right after me. "Don't they ever clean this place?"  
  
"Apparently not," said Todd, peering over his shoulder.   
  
"Ok, well, lets just do our business and be on our way. I'm sure the town looks better than this," I said, walking into one of the stalls. I overheard Steph ushering Todd out the door, taking the stall next to mine.  
  
After we'd all finished, we stood in the parking lot, looking over a railing. Below was more pine trees and fog. Over to the left, there was some cement stairs, along with a sign that read "This way to Silent Hill".   
  
"Well, I guess we can find out where the hotel is and get our stuff later," said Todd, glancing at Steph and me. "No sense in trying to manhandle everything at once, anyway."  
  
"I agree," I said. "I'm gonna get my backpack, though. It has all the hotel info in it." I ran back to the car and strapped on my handy dandy backpack.  
  
"Lets go, then," said Steph.   
  
We each made our way down the stairs and started down a trail leading into the forest of misty pines. The fog was moist, not yet thick enough to impede sight, but damp enough to make my shirt and shorts stick to my skin. In the back of my mind, like a gentle tapping on my common sense, a voice warned me that something was amiss. However, too excited by our arrival, I ignored it and kept walking. 


	2. Visit the Woods

Disclaimer: Don't own Silent Hill, blah blah blah, don't sue me, blah blah.  
  
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Chapter 2: Visit the Woods  
  
The crunching of leaves echoed around us as we made our way toward the city. At least, we assumed we were headed in the right direction. It'd been about fifteen minutes since we'd started walking the trail, yet there was still no sign of any civilization.   
  
"Boy, talk about a town in the middle of nowhere," I chuckled nervously. The two smiled a bit, though it was obvious neither of them thought it was funny. Apparently I wasn't the only one becoming apprehensive.  
  
"You know," remarked Steph, "for a 'booming resort town', this place sure is well hidden." She stopped just a few steps ahead of me and turned. "You sure you took the right way?"  
  
I glanced up from my thoughts and stopped as well. "Well, I could've missed a road somewhere, but I don't really see how that's possible, especially since there was only the one highway for nearly the last twenty miles."   
  
"She's right, there was only one way to go," Todd chimed in, tossing a pinecone in the air.   
  
"How would you know? I thought you were asleep the whole time," snapped Steph.  
  
Todd grinned.   
  
"Looks can be deceiving."  
  
Stephanie rolled her eyes and turned back around. We all continued walking for several more minutes with nothing more than mist, trees, and distant birdcalls to keep us company. In fact, the lack of any noise but that was just starting to freak me out when...  
  
"Hey, there's something coming up," said Todd, obviously relieved.   
  
Up ahead, as the mist cleared a bit, was a rusty metal gate. Although it looked like it once was locked, the bolt had corroded beyond repair. Now it just stood halfway open. However, that's not what caught our attention.  
  
"Umm...guys," Todd said, stopping and turning slowly toward us, "take a look at this."   
  
As we approached where he was standing, we looked beyond the gate and froze. This was the entrance to a cemetery, and a rather large one at that. We could only make out the definite outlines of a few gravestones, as the ever-present fog obscured the rest.  
  
"No way," said Stephanie. "This couldn't be the right way. What town in their right mind would make you walk through a graveyard just to get to them?"   
  
She had a point. Tourist town, indeed. However, at this point there were only two choices- turn around and walk all the way back to the car, or keep going and hope it was correct. After all, the sign back at the lot did say it was this direction, and there was only one path to follow.   
  
"There's nothing we can do except go through," I said, looking from Steph to Todd. "It's just a cemetery."   
  
Steph arched a brow at this.   
  
"Oh come on, don't tell me you're scared, Steph?" I said teasingly. "I'd think you of all people would enjoy walking amongst the dead."  
  
  
  
She started to say something, but apparently thought better of it, instead smiling slyly.  
  
"Ok, fine," she said, half turning back to the gate, "but don't come crying to me if someone tries to share their grave with you."  
  
Reaching out, Stephanie casually swung the gate inward and walked into the mist. Todd, making an obscene gesture behind her back, turned and followed. I was forced to stifle a giggle as I went last through the gate.  
  
Around us, the fog seemed a bit thicker than on the trail, probably because the area was a bit more open. Graves of all sizes and shapes were somewhat organized into rows, though most were tilting one way or another. Very few of the headstones were completely intact, apparently the result of age and weather.   
  
As we walked, it felt as if the hairs on the back of my neck were at attention. I paid it no mind, trying not to let my imagination get the best of me. Glancing around, there wasn't really much to see, just graves and grass, with the outline of a fence (barely visible in the fog) surrounding the whole area.   
  
Just then, something caught my eye. A grave to the side of us stood completely upright, no signs of age whatsoever.  
  
"Hey guys, hold up," I called out.   
  
Upon closer inspection of the stone, I saw that the epitaph was pristine as well, almost as if the gravestone was new.   
  
  
  
Here lies Robert F. Peterson  
  
October 11, 1973 - February 17, 2000  
  
May his death be remembered   
  
And the sinners be held accountable   
  
  
  
Gee, how cheery, I thought to myself. The name, though, seemed vaguely familiar.   
  
Suddenly the image of a car registered in my mind, speeding down a highway. It was dark, very dark. And then...  
  
A hand grabbed my shoulder. Obviously startled, I spun around.  
  
"Hey, whoa! It's just me, Kuri," said Todd. "Relax, would ya?"   
  
Swallowing my heart, I managed a small smile. Poor guy. I bet he never intended to be wandering in the middle of nowhere with two jumpy, moody girls. Speaking of which...  
  
"Todd... where's Stephanie?"   
  
"She's right-" As he turned to point to her, though, he was met with fog.   
  
Now I remembered at this point that one of the top ten stupid things a person did in horror movies was call out to a missing party member. However, this wasn't a movie, and it wasn't as if we could see very far through the mist. Being an advocate of fact-over-fiction, I took the "risk" and called her name.   
  
After a few moments of silence, Todd joined in. We stayed relatively close, looking and calling. After a minute or two of nothing, we stopped.  
  
"Great," I said, "now what?"  
  
At that moment, something grabbed my ankle and yanked. I managed a scream, right before the world turned upside down.  
  
My head hit something hard, and everything went black. I felt as if I were falling through space, or rather, sinking. In the distance I could hear high-pitched laughter coupled with a voice calling my name.   
  
Suddenly, I was in a hospital bed. A heart rate monitor beeped consistently on my left, and a concerned doctor looked down at me from the right. He was scribbling something on a clipboard and mumbling as he went. I tried to say something, anything, but my mouth wouldn't move. In fact, my whole body was numb.   
  
A lady walked into the room; she was rather old, wearing a drab-colored dress with a white shawl. She and the doctor started speaking to each other, all the while glancing at me. If only I could make out what they're saying, I thought. It was like trying to understand someone speaking with your head underwater.   
  
After a few minutes, something started to happen. I felt a little bit of feeling come back to my body, but it wasn't like anything I'd ever felt before. My skin started to itch, as if I'd been bitten by thousands of ants. The itching intensified, although I could do nothing about it; I still couldn't move. Slowly, and very painfully, the itching turned to burning, and soon I felt as if my very flesh was on fire. I tried to scream, but again, nothing happened. This was intolerable.   
  
Apparently, the doctor and woman had noticed something was wrong, because they'd stopped talking and were now looking at me. However, they did nothing to help me; they simply stared.   
  
The burning, by now, was so bad that I could retain consciousness no longer, and I slipped back into the sinking void. As I fell, the voices called out to me. Concerned voices, almost panicky. Slowly, the sinking feeling dissipated and I opened my eyes.   
  
Two figures stood over me, and for a second, I thought I was right back in the hospital bed. When everything came into focus, though, I realized it was only Todd and Stephanie.   
  
"Kuri?" said Steph, visibly shaken. "Kuri! You're awake! Oh thank God! I'm so sorry, Kuri!" She was talking fast, making it difficult for me to keep up.  
  
"Cool it," said Todd, pushing Stephanie out of the way. "Kuri, you ok?"  
  
"Yeah... I think so."  
  
"You sure gave us a scare," he said as a bit of relief washed over both their faces.  
  
He held out a hand and helped me to my feet. A little woozy, I steadied myself after a moment and noticed a raw pain in the back of my head. Upon further inspection I found a bump.  
  
"What happened, anyway?" I said, picking up my backpack.   
  
Todd glared through his sunglasses over at Stephanie, who seemed ready to cry.  
  
"Ehem! Care to say anything?" He marched over to the girl and pulled her closer by the arm.  
  
"Ok, look I'm sorry. I thought it'd be funny to scare the two of you, except I didn't think you'd lose your footing that easy. I didn't realize you were hurt until it was too late. Kuri, I'm so sorry." By this time, the girl had tears streaking her face.  
  
"It's.. ok. Just don't do it again, alright?" She nodded and sniffled as Todd still continued to glare at her. I patted the girl on the shoulder, but that was it. Hey, she didn't deserve that much consolation. It was a pretty rotten thing to do, not to mention childish.   
  
"So, how long was I out of it, anyway?" I asked, turning to Todd.  
  
"Five, ten minutes maybe," he said, his hands finding refuge in his pockets. "Any longer and we were gonna try and carry you back to the car."  
  
I looked over to where I'd fallen and saw a gravestone I hadn't seen previously. So that must've been what I hit my head on, I thought as I walked over. I glanced at the grave, but immediately my eyes were drawn to something on the ground. Actually, to two something's. Laying near the grave was a small flashlight I remembered packing, along with a pocket radio. Where the radio had come from, I didn't know, but I put it all in my backpack just the same.  
  
Stephanie, after calming down, told us she'd found the other gate while sneaking around, so we followed her. The fog was still just as thick, so we made sure to stay close together as we walked. We soon found the gate and exited into the forest once again.   
  
As I left, I couldn't help but think about the name of the person whose tombstone I'd fallen on. I knew, somewhere, that I'd heard the name Alessa Gillespie before. Weird. 


	3. Arrival

Disclaimer: This'll be the last one of these stupid disclaimers I write, because anyone knows I don't own the original Silent Hill stuff. 'Nuff said.  
  
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Chapter 3: Arrival  
  
It'd been quite a while since I'd gone adventuring in the woods, and although I was enjoying the walk, I had to admit that I was out of shape. We'd been walking for quite a while since the cemetery, and there was still nothing around except trees, fog, and the dirt trail we'd been following.   
  
My companions hadn't spoken much since we'd left the graveyard, though that was to be expected. Todd never talked much anyway, and Stephanie was too overcome with guilt. I decided to lighten the mood a bit.  
  
"So, Steph, I hear the lake in this place is really nice. You ever water ski before?"   
  
"Um.. yeah, a little back in high school," she said, obviously surprised I was speaking to her. "I wonder if the fair is gonna be in town."  
  
"Fair?"  
  
"Yeah, the pamphlet you showed us said that aside from a carnival, there's a fairgrounds that has an annual festival with rides and shows and animals."  
  
"Well," said Todd, "if we ever get there, we'll have to check it out." From the tone of his voice, I'd say he was getting annoyed at the long walk. Steph and I grumbled our agreement and walked on.  
  
Soon, the surroundings started to change. The trees diminished in number, and the dirt path gave way to concrete. A chain link fence on our right blocked off some sort of construction. There were orange cones here and there, so apparently the place was in the process of revamping their roadway into town.  
  
"Well well, signs of civilization?" I said, chuckling.  
  
We came to a large wall of stone and realized the mountain had cut us off again. This time, though, there was a large metal door. Opening the door, we walked through a long hallway. It reminded me of a subway tunnel, with bits of trash everywhere and posters on the walls. It certainly wasn't well kept, but at least we were out of the foggy woods.   
  
Out through another door, we ended up on a street, surrounded on both sides by tall, brick buildings- an alley. The fog was back, and thicker than before. Visibility was minimal, to say the least.  
  
We walked down the alleyway and stopped when it reached a main road. At this point, Todd spoke up.  
  
"You know, I'm just curious. Where the heck is everyone? We haven't met one single person yet."  
  
"I was thinking the same thing," I said, looking worriedly at Stephanie. "I thought this place was supposed to be really busy, but..."  
  
Everything around us suggested quite the opposite, though. Sure, there were buildings and what appeared to be shops lining the street, but they were all in a state of disrepair. Cars were parallel parked on the sides, but most looked rusted and unused, much like the one we'd seen in the parking lot.   
  
"Umm..," said Stephanie nervously, "lets just try and find the hotel. Maybe we'll meet someone on the way that can clue us in."  
  
We nodded and started walking. According to the tourist map I'd received in the mail, the hotel was supposed to be somewhere near Toluca Lake, but it looked a long distance from where we stood. Perhaps there'd be a shortcut or something.   
  
As we made our way through the fog-shrouded streets, that little voice in my mind practically screamed to turn back. For a second, I really wanted to, but we'd already walked a long way. Besides, there had to be something here worth staying for, or the hotel room wouldn't have been so expensive. And also, the brochure had shown pictures of water skiing and all sorts of fun things. They couldn't have just made that up, could they?  
  
Unfortunately for us, we'd arrived in the residential area of Silent Hill. The fun area was supposed to be past the lake, but it would be a while until we reached it.   
  
After a bit of walking, a noise started to become audible, but just barely. It sounded like an alarm or something. Perhaps a siren. A few minutes went by, and it gradually got louder.   
  
"You do hear that, right?" I asked.  
  
"How could we not hear it?" said Todd with a grin. "It's coming from just up ahead."  
  
"Lets go have a look," said Stephanie, picking up the pace. "There may be someone who can tell us what's going on."  
  
Up ahead, we turned from Neely St. onto a large road called Nathan Ave. The noise was considerably louder, and it was most definitely a siren. On our right was a large church, and beside it, the source of the noise- South Silent Hill Fire Station.   
  
We walked over to the station, whose garage doors were wide open. Inside was a dusty red fire truck with its lights flashing and the siren creating quite a racket.  
  
Covering our ears from the deafening noise, we entered the garage and looked around. There was a row of lockers against the wall, all rusted and some hanging half open. A tall pole extended from a hole in the ceiling, but it was too dark to make anything out through it. Other than that and a few closed doors, there was nothing to see.   
  
Uncovering his ears, Todd opened the door to the fire truck and started madly pressing buttons. After switching lights on and off, turning on the windshield wipers, and changing the siren to different noises, he finally got it right. All was silent.  
  
"Whew," he said, stepping back out of the truck, "that's better!"   
  
Stephanie finally took her hands off her ears and shook her head.   
  
"Thanks! I don't know how much more of that I could--"  
  
Suddenly something fell from the hole in the ceiling and hit the floor with a sickening crack. Stephanie let out a small scream and grabbed Todd's arm. Todd had only just turned around from the truck when he heard the impact and now stood there, staring and swallowing.   
  
As for me, there was nothing I could do but stare in horror. On the floor on front of us was a body lying facedown, it's limbs bent into peculiar angles. It was presumably a man, judging from the dirty blue jean overalls and the balding spot on the back of his head. He was a rather chunky man, from what we could tell.  
  
"S-sir?" asked Todd, cautiously walking toward the man. "You ok?"  
  
There was no response.   
  
Todd pried Stephanie's grip off his arm and turned back to the body.  
  
"What are you doing!?" she squealed.  
  
"Shut up!" I snapped, and we both turned our attention to Todd and the fallen.  
  
Todd bent down and pushed the man onto his side.  
  
"Oh God..." he said, and backed away toward us.   
  
This time, I joined Stephanie in screaming. 


	4. Mimms the Word

Goody, plot. Hope you enjoy.   
  
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Chapter 4: Mimms the Word  
  
Where once was a man's face, there was now a large hole. It was as if someone had taken a gigantic spoon and hollowed out his skull, from the jaw to the forehead.  
  
"Wh-what happened?" I whimpered, backing as close to the truck as I could. "What could've done this?"  
  
The three of us were backing towards the street, when one of the doors burst open.   
  
"Freeze!"  
  
Each of us did exactly that, for in the doorway stood a female in a blue police officer's outfit with a gun pointed at us. With brown hair tied into a ponytail, she was thin and looked about 28 or so. From the look on her face, though, she looked like she'd been through hell.  
  
None of us spoke, though none of us could if we'd wanted to. After what we'd just seen, a police officer popping out of nowhere seemed almost mundane.  
  
Keeping her gun on us, the officer quickly glanced down at the faceless man, then back at us, unflinching. Must take a lot of training to stomach something like that so easily, I thought as she approached.  
  
"Each of you give me your names," she said, glaring at us.   
  
A few moments' stunned silence went by, and we heard her gun clicking.  
  
"Final chance," she warned.  
  
"St-Stephanie!"  
  
"Stephanie what?" growled the cop.  
  
"Hancock! Stephanie Hancock!" she said quickly, cowering under the officer's scrutiny.  
  
"And you?" she said, shifting the gun to me.  
  
"Kuri Fletcher," I said, slowly calming down.  
  
"Todd Garner," he said, not even waiting for the gun to make its way to him. Todd no longer looked scared; more like annoyed.  
  
"Show me your driver's licenses," said the cop. "Right now. No sudden moves, either."  
  
One by one, we dug in our pockets and pulled out wallets, each unfolding them and giving them over. With one hand pointing the gun at us, she studied each license, glancing occasionally at our faces.  
  
"You're all from Ohio?" she said finally. We nodded, and she lowered her gun. "I apologize, then. I had to be sure you weren't... someone else."  
  
"Who else would we be?" I asked suspiciously, pocketing my license.   
  
"Have you seen any other officers in this town?" she asked, ignoring my question.   
  
"We haven't seen anyone in this town," said Todd irritably. "As a matter of fact, you're the first person we've come across, aside from this guy." He pointed at the faceless man on the floor.  
  
The woman looked at the man again, then back at us, apparently arguing with herself whether or not she should say something. I decided to pose the obvious question.  
  
"Sorry, officer, but just what the hell is going on around here?"  
  
Putting her gun away, she took a deep breath.  
  
"My name is Jody Mimms. I came along with a team of officers from the next town over, Brahms. We'd recently dispatched an officer to this town to investigate a drug trafficking problem. However, she hasn't reported back in a few days, so we were sent here to find her. We arrived two days ago, and there's still no sign of her."  
  
"Where's the rest of the squad?" asked Todd.  
  
"We split up into pairs once we saw how deserted the town was, and since there were six pairs of us, we figured we'd make good time covering the town. As it is, I haven't heard from any of them since we split up, and the radio's been going nuts."  
  
"And your partner?" asked Stephanie.  
  
"We were investigating some... strange activity in a hospital over in the Paleville area. The lights went out and we got separated. I tried finding him, but..."   
  
"I'm sure he'll turn up," I said sympathetically, "along with the rest of the squad. They can't just vanish, right?"  
  
Officer Mimms mumbled something and looked at the dead man on the floor.   
  
"What's his story, anyway?" asked Todd.   
  
"No idea," she said shortly. The corner of her mouth twitched slightly.  
  
"Aren't you even curious what happened?" Todd asked incredulously. "I mean, it's not every day you just walk across a guy who's had his face removed!"  
  
He had a pretty good point.  
  
"Look," said Mimms heatedly, "a lot of weird things have been going on ever since I got here. I can't tell you more than that, as I don't have all the answers myself." She started walking towards us, apparently ushering us out. "Now listen to me, all of you. Get yourselves out of this town immediately. I don't want to see you end up like this guy here, got it?"  
  
"But... what about you?" asked Steph, her fright starting to return. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"Did you hear what I said? Get out now!" By this time, she'd backed us into the street. Her hand reached to the inside wall, and as she stepped back inside, the garage door closed.  
  
None of us said anything for a few moments; none of us moved. In my own mind, there was a torrent of questions swirling around, none of which made sense. What was officer Mimms hiding? Did she kill that guy back there? But if so... how? I shuddered slightly at the thought. A moment later, though, I realized it wasn't just the eeriness getting to my skin.  
  
I had started to snow.  
  
Now, normally, I wouldn't care in the least. Lord knows we get plenty of snow in Ohio. But this was July.   
  
I looked over at my friends, and apparently they were as baffled as I was.  
  
"What in God's name is going on here," Todd said softly. "Something is really wrong."  
  
"Right now," said a shivering Stephanie, "I don't want to know. Lets just do what the cop says and get the hell outta here."   
  
No arguments there. We all turned and started walking briskly back the way we'd come. With the combination of the fog and the snow, we could barely see five feet in front of us. Each pant of our breath came out as chilly smoke, signifying the onset of a deep, penetrating coldness.  
  
We turned the corner back onto Neely St., still at a near jog. Stephanie, whose teeth were chattering from the chill, broke the uneasy silence.  
  
"We n-n-never as-sked."  
  
"Asked about what?" said Todd.  
  
"The f-fire truck. What-t-t was w-with that?"   
  
I almost tripped over my own feet. I'd almost forgotten about that. The lights and sirens were blaring for no apparent reason when we'd arrived. But who turned them on to begin with? The dead man? Perhaps he'd been trying to send out a warning or something, right before his face was...  
  
"Who knows," Todd panted. "I'm more concerned about Mimms. It was obvious she wasn't telling us the whole story."  
  
"She seemed pretty shaken up," I commented. "Maybe she was just scared. In her shoes, I probably would be too, especially after getting separated from everyone else."  
  
Todd grunted, turning his attention to Stephanie, whose lips had started to take on a blue tinge. I had to admit, it was pretty cold, but I guess she wasn't used to being out in it without a sweater or something. After all, we'd come to this place dressed for swimming and sunbathing.   
  
"Stephanie, you ok?" I asked, putting my hand on her shoulder.   
  
"Y-yeah," she half-whispered, "j-just c-c-c-cold."   
  
I walked closer to her and put my arms around her, briskly rubbing her shoulders and arms, and attempted to give her some much needed heat.   
  
"Don't worry, we're not too far from the car. As soon as we get back, there's some warm clothes in the-"  
  
"What the--!" cried Todd.  
  
He'd stopped walking and stood gaping at something ahead. We stopped and looked as well.   
  
The street, where the subway-like corridor once was, just stopped. It was as if we'd come to the edge of the world; one more step, and you'd drop off into foggy nothingness.   
  
How this was possible, none of us could fathom. The terrifying truth, however, soon became apparent. This was the only way back to the car. We were stranded. 


	5. Enter the Stranger

Wow, lots of reviews in a short amount of time. Thanks to all of you who posted. I'll keep churning 'em out, don't you worry. And to those who wanted to see this through to its completion, I must tell you you're in for the long haul. This baby won't be over for a long time to come. Be that good or bad, here goes the next chapter.   
  
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Chapter 5: Enter the Stranger  
  
Surely this is a dream, I thought to myself. We'd just come this way. Unless a bomb had dropped in the middle of the street (and a silent one, at that), this was impossible.   
  
Standing on the edge of the "cliff", we looked into the abyss in mute shock. Todd, whose hands were clenched into fists at his side, shook with frustration, apparently fighting with himself to come up with some logical explanation. Stephanie was shaking as well, but more from cold and fright than anything else. In fact, she was looking worse by the minute.   
  
"Steph?" I said, trying to maintain a steady voice. The only response I received was her chattering teeth.  
  
"Todd, we have to get her somewhere warm."  
  
Todd didn't move or speak.   
  
"Hey, snap out of it!" I yelled.  
  
He blinked and looked over at me.  
  
"H-huh? Oh, yeah," he said, suddenly glancing at Stephanie with concern. "Lets go."  
  
We put our arms around the quaking girl and led her back toward one of the buildings lining the street. It was slow going, as it took a lot of effort for her to put one foot in front of the other. As we walked through the foggy snow, I realized for the first time that there was no solid snow on the ground; it simply melted just before it hit, leaving slick, wet concrete.   
  
We finally made it to the sidewalk, which, thankfully, was covered overhead, giving some relief from the wet snow. Stephanie stopped shivering slightly, but I still kept my arms around her. Todd walked over to a door and pushed.   
  
"Locked?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah."   
  
He stood back a second, and took off his sunglasses. I arched my brows, having never really seen him without them. He glanced over with his icy blue eyes.  
  
"Don't suppose I need these right now, do I?" he said, looking out at the street.  
  
He was right, there really wasn't a lot of light that could get through the fog and snow.   
  
"Lemme see your bag for a sec," he said, shoving the glasses in a pocket.   
  
I handed it over and he rummaged through it, eventually giving it back empty handed. He stood there for a few seconds, thinking of something. Then he bent down and started untying one of his shoes.  
  
"Um... Todd?" I said slowly. "Whatcha doin?"  
  
"You'll see," he grunted as he got his shoe off.   
  
Actually, it wasn't quite a shoe. He was quite fond of black combat boots, and he had tried explaining to me many times how they went with everything. I didn't buy that, but he couldn't be convinced otherwise.   
  
He suddenly reared his arm back and slammed the front of the boot into the top glass pane on the door. Stephanie and I gasped in surprise and took a step back as Todd extracted his boot from the hole he'd just made, pieces of glass clinking to the ground. He pulled a few shards out of the boot and bent down to put it back on. He was acting so casually about the whole thing, you'd think he went around breaking things every day of his life.  
  
"Th-that's some b-b-boot," chattered Stephanie, trying to force her frozen lips into a smile.  
  
"Steel-toed," he grinned as he tied his shoe. "Accept no substitute."  
  
Getting back to his feet, Todd put his hand through the hole and turned a deadbolt.   
  
"Do the words 'breaking and entering' mean anything to you?" I said.  
  
Todd opened the door and turned to me, his expression turning grave.  
  
"Kuri, there's no one left in this town. You really think someone's going to come tell us off?"  
  
"Well... what about Mimms?"  
  
"I think she has bigger fish to fry. Besides, we can't get back to the car right now, and Steph is about to go into hypothermic shock."  
  
He was right, as usual. I nodded and helped Stephanie walk through the doorway. Todd followed and closed the door behind us, locking the deadbolt.  
  
We stood in the entrance of a large, dark shop. I looked to my left and saw a sign that read "Silent Hill General Store". Indeed, each isle appeared to have basic supplies like medicines, bread, snacks, and drinks. Much of it was on the floor, though, and was either broken or torn open. Everything was coated in a thin layer of dust and grime, suggesting that no one had been here for a long while.  
  
"Steph," I said, "why don't you go over to the counter and sit for a little while I look for something to wrap you in. Once you're warm, we'll figure something out."  
  
She nodded and went while I turned to the light switch and flipped it. Nothing happened.   
  
"Great," I said.   
  
"I'll go and find a fuse box," said Todd. "Maybe I can-"  
  
"Oh no you don't," I exclaimed, grabbing his arm. "With all the crap we've seen here, I'm not risking getting split up. We're all staying in the same building, no matter what, got it?"  
  
"I'll come right back, Kuri," he said pleadingly, but a look at my face quickly changed his mind. "Together it is, then."  
  
We walked toward the back of the store. Aside from bottles and boxes smashed everywhere, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, though, there didn't appear to be any clothing in this store. There were a few blankets, though, so I grabbed one and tucked it under my arm.   
  
Just as I turned around, Todd held up something in front of me. It was a bullet shell.  
  
"Where'd you get that?" I asked.  
  
"Stepped on it," he said, examining the shell closely.  
  
I looked down, and sure enough, there were shells scattered everywhere, along with a few empty cartridges.   
  
"357 Magnum," said Todd, glancing at me. "That's some serious firepower."  
  
I didn't want to know how he knew that, so I simply nodded. Looking at the walls, I noticed there were several bullet holes, increasing in number toward the back of the store. Todd saw this as well and began walking again.  
  
"C'mon," he said, and I followed him as we made our way further into the darkness.  
  
We turned the corner at the end of the isle when Todd suddenly shot his arm out to stop me from going any further. I was about to ask him what was wrong when I looked in the direction he was gazing. A few feet in front of us, on the floor, was a large copperish smear leading to a back door. There was no doubt it was blood, though it had been dry for quite some time. Surrounding the area were more bullet shells and clips.  
  
"Todd..." I whispered, glancing over at him.  
  
He just stared straight ahead at the door, a grim look upon his face. He slowly walked toward the door.  
  
"Todd, no!" I hissed, but he paid me no heed.  
  
I backed up a step or two, unsure of what was happening. The old 'fight or flight' idea danced around in my head as I watched Todd, whose hand now reached for the door handle.   
  
The door opened before Todd even touched it, and a man's silhouette contrasted against the white abstraction of an alleyway.  
  
Todd leapt backward while at the same time I fought the urge to run. The man, however, didn't run at us or try to attack. In fact, once my eyes adjusted to the light, I realized he looked almost as shocked as we were.  
  
He was probably in his thirties or so, with short blonde hair and a decent frame. He wore a green jacket over a black collared shirt and blue jeans, along with some sort of medallion pendant around his neck. However, he looked as if he hadn't washed his clothes in years, judging by the stains all over him. Curiously, many of them looked like blood...  
  
Todd and I inched away from him as he stepped inside, but he held out his hands imploringly.  
  
"Please, don't be frightened. I won't hurt you," he said. His voice didn't sound very menacing, but Todd nevertheless eyed him suspiciously.   
  
"Where'd you come from?" Todd asked warily.  
  
"I just heard some commotion and thought I'd come check it out," explained the man.  
  
"Are there other people around, too?" I asked hopefully.  
  
The man looked at me for a moment and spoke rather hesitantly.  
  
"W-well, I'm here with my wife, but other than her..."  
  
"You live here, then?" asked Todd.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Cool, then maybe you can answer some questions," started Todd, "like where the hell is everybody?!"  
  
"Todd!" I said, elbowing him in the ribs. "Sorry, we're a little shaken up lately."  
  
"S'ok," said the man, "I understand. I thought the same thing when I first arrived here."  
  
"You mean, everyone was gone when you got here too?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah. Mostly, anyway..." he sighed. "Hey, that reminds me, I'm looking for someone. Have you seen a little girl running around anywhere? About eight years old; long, blonde hair?"  
  
"Your daughter?" asked Todd.  
  
"No, just someone I met. She ran away over near the hotel a few days ago," he said.   
  
"No, sorry," I said.   
  
There was a few moments' awkward silence, so I decided to be polite.   
  
"I'm Kuri," I said, putting out my hand to shake his, "and this is Todd."  
  
"I'm James," he said warmly, shaking my hand. "James Sunderland." 


	6. A Friend Named Magnum

Thanks for the reviews again, they really do help me stay motivated; please keep 'em coming.   
  
And Cow T R0bot, in answer to your review... yes and no. You'll just have to see.  
  
That being said, here's the next chapter. Enjoy.  
  
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Chapter 6: A Friend Named Magnum  
  
We walked back toward the front of the store, giving Mr. Sunderland a quick synopsis of our (mis)adventure into the town. Well, at least I did; Todd kept his mouth shut, occasionally glancing at Mr. Sunderland out of the corner of his eye. It really wasn't like Todd to act this way toward anyone, especially someone he'd just met. It's not like the guy was dangerous or anything, although the bloody grime on his clothes didn't look very appealing...  
  
Mr. Sunderland took it all in without any surprise. He simply listened as if someone were reading him a report full of obvious facts. Perhaps he'd had similar things happen when he arrived. He did, after all, look like someone who'd gone through a lot of struggle, judging by the wrinkles creasing his brow.   
  
We approached the counter in the front when James spoke up.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt your story, but... er, didn't you say your friend was here at the counter?"  
  
"Yeah, she-," I started.  
  
Stephanie was gone.   
  
I stood there in silence for a moment, glancing this way and that. James peered around a bit as well, while Todd walked to the counter and looked behind it. Finally I burst.  
  
"I don't believe this! I told her to stay here and keep warm, and-." I suddenly stopped and looked around at the dark isles. "Oh Stephanie? If you're hiding, this isn't the time or place."   
  
"She's not hiding," said Todd.   
  
"Then where is she?" I barked, rounding on him. Todd glanced at the doorway. "You can't be serious! She almost went unconscious out there, and you're saying she went back out?"  
  
"I never said she did," he said irritably. "I simply know that she isn't here. I hardly think she'd play another prank, either, after the humiliation she just went through."  
  
Sometimes I hated Todd, not because he was a bad person, but because he had a tendency to be right about most things.   
  
He looked over at Mr. Sunderland, who appeared completely calm.  
  
"Any ideas?" growled Todd.  
  
"Well, given the circumstances, the only thing you-"  
  
At that moment, a large boom resounded throughout the store, echoing off the dusty walls. Todd and I jumped, while Mr. Sunderland simply turned his head toward the back of the store. My backpack, which still lay where I'd last talked to Stephanie, was emitting some sort of scratchy noise.  
  
Mr. Sunderland pulled something out of his jacket and started walking toward the back. Meanwhile, I reached over to my backpack and rummaged around until I found the source of the weird noise. It was coming from the radio I'd found in the cemetery, but why it'd just started working was a mystery. Even more baffling was that, upon further inspection, there were no batteries inside.   
  
I turned around to show Todd, but he was already walking down an isle adjacent to Mr. Sunderland. As he disappeared into the darkness, I swung my backpack around my shoulders and followed after him. After a few moments, though, a new sound filled the emptiness. The distinct blasts of a gun echoed from the back, interrupted by a screeching noise and a scream. The scream, I realized, belonged to Todd.  
  
I started running down the isle and skidded to a sudden halt when I saw Todd. He was crouched over, huddled in a corner, staring straight ahead. The door had been completely knocked off its hinges and was now flat on the tiled floor. On top of it, though, was something I'd never imagined in my worst nightmares.   
  
A hulking, humanoid form lay wriggling on the door, pinkish-white skin stretched in unnatural ways around its frame. It had no arms, from what I could see, but its legs were bulky and covered in blue, pulsing veins. To top it off, the body was riddled with shards of what looked like glass jutting from its skin.   
  
Gasping and backing up to where Todd crouched, I stared in horror as the thing tried to right itself. A faceless mound of skin on top of its "shoulders" was gnashing its teeth and shrieking furiously. Mr. Sunderland now came into view pointing a gun at the thing. Two blasts pumped straight into its "head" and it stopped moving, spilling gobs of thick, crimson blood on the floor.   
  
Struggling not to vomit, I held out my hands to Todd, helping him to his feet. He stood and put a hand on my shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze of thanks. Suddenly he faced Mr. Sunderland, an angry frown upon his face.  
  
"What's the deal!" he yelled, pointing his finger at the man. "You almost killed me!"   
  
Indeed, as I looked at Todd, I noticed several fresh bullet holes in the wall directly behind him. Mr. Sunderland lowered the gun from the monster and looked back at us.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't see you back there," he said, looking from Todd to the monster.  
  
"M-Mr. Sunderland," I croaked, "w-what is that?"  
  
"I'm not sure," he said. "And please, call me James."  
  
He was acting very casual about the entire experience as if he did this type of thing all the time. I, on the other hand, couldn't fathom how such a creature could exist. It was as if someone had swallowed a wheelbarrow full of glass and then turned inside out.   
  
"Lets get out of here," said Todd, tugging gently on my sleeve.   
  
"I agree," James said. "It's time to go."  
  
With that he turned and walked out the door, leaving Todd and me standing in the middle of a truly gory scene. Grabbing Todd's hand, I raced out the door after him.  
  
"Wait! You're just going to leave us!?"  
  
James stopped and turned around, a look of mild concern sweeping his face.  
  
"I'm really sorry, but I have something important I have to do."  
  
"B-but..." I stammered, "what if another... whatever-the-hell-that-was comes after us?"   
  
James looked at Todd and me for a moment, considering something. Finally, he held his gun out to Todd.  
  
"You know how to use one of these?" he asked.   
  
Todd nodded slowly, and took the gun.  
  
"Good," said James, glancing at me. "Protect her, ok?"  
  
James started to walk away once more, but turned abruptly back around.  
  
"Oh, and when you find your friend, come to the Lakeview Hotel. My wife, Mary... she might have some ideas about how you can get out of here."  
  
"Hey," I spoke up, "that's where I booked our reservations."  
  
James blinked and stared at me.  
  
"You called in reservations?"  
  
"Well, yeah," I said. "Some guy with a raspy voice confirmed everything."  
  
James looked momentarily thunderstruck. Just as quickly, his expression changed back to normal.  
  
"Interesting," he said, looking off into nowhere. "Well, anyway, see you kids later. Be careful."  
  
And just like that, he walked away into the white abyss of snow and fog. Todd and I stood in the cold, looking from the doorway to the alley in front of us.   
  
"Todd," I muttered on the verge of tears, "what now? What are we going to do?"  
  
"With this cold setting in and Steph missing, I think James is right," he said, sympathetically rubbing my shoulder. "We're gonna have to look for her."  
  
Nodding, I hooked my arm around his and stayed close as we walked down the desolate alleyway. I couldn't help but sob softly as we went; this was undoubtedly the worst day of my life. It wasn't really the events themselves that'd taken their toll, but rather, the lack of logic involved.   
  
We soon came out of the alley to a sign that read Harris St. As I'd expected, there was no sign of James. We took a right and walked for some time, until...  
  
"Do you hear something?" asked Todd suddenly.  
  
Letting go of his arm, I listened. Nothing. Wait... it sounded like...  
  
"A siren?" I said, glancing at Todd.  
  
Soon it became clear that it was, indeed, a siren, though nothing like the fire truck we'd heard before. This was more like the old air raid sirens used to alert the public of disaster. As it got louder, I found myself gripping Todd's arm again, though he looked just as frightened as me (for once). It was obvious we both had a horrible feeling about this.  
  
As if in answer to this thought, the whiteness around us slowly started to dissipate. What once was shrouded in fog and snow soon became utter darkness.   
  
The sirens faded into the distance, bringing new (and more disturbing) sounds into realization. Around us, the blackness brought grinding, metallic squeals. It sounded like we were in the middle of a steel mill or something. Soon, though, those sounds were last on my mind. Screeching, chirping sounds emanated in the distance. Off to the side, an inhuman wail split the air.   
  
The snow seemed to have stopped falling, but that didn't stop me from shaking. Even Todd, whose form I could feel but not see, was quivering a bit. I reached behind into my backpack and finally managed to pull out the flashlight I'd brought.   
  
Unprepared and shaking, I clutched Todd's arm; my other hand turned on the flashlight. 


	7. A Run Through Pitch

Just got Silent Hill 3 yesterday, and had a chance to play about 10 minutes so far. Heh, me like. Perhaps I'll be able to tie in some stuff from it as I play; we'll see.   
  
Anyway, have fun with the next chapter. Bon apetite.  
  
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Chapter 7: A Run Through Pitch  
  
A small beam of light penetrated the darkness for a few feet. The ground, once concrete and wet with melted frost, was now rusted metal grating. Below that... who knew. The chasm below the metal looked to go on forever, but with such limited light it was anyone's guess; I sure as hell didn't want to find out.   
  
There was nothing immediately within our line of sight aside from the ground. Moaning and gurgling noises came from the nothingness beyond the light.   
  
Todd and I stood completely still in the newborn hell, trying to get a grip on what was happening. My mind kept telling my body to move, but I was a rock... a shaky, paranoid rock.   
  
"Kuri," whispered Todd, "you all right?"  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
"We gotta get out of here, Kuri. Now. Pull out that map of yours and start directing, because if we stay here much longer, we're dead."   
  
As if on cue, the sputtering and hissing around us grew a notch louder. Whatever was out there, it wasn't very far from us.   
  
Finally, my mind got through to my body, and I got my map out. If Steph was smart, wherever she was, she knew that we were eventually going to go to the hotel. Even James said he and his wife were there, and the prospect of being with people sounded really good right about now. Even so, the hotel was still a long distance from where we were. Then again, what choice did we have?  
  
"I hope you're ready, Kuri," said Todd, suddenly grabbing my hand, "'cause we're going now. We can't stay any longer."  
  
I quickly gave the flashlight to Todd, and with one hand in his and the other holding the map, I nodded in readiness. I felt his muscles quickly tighten, and then-  
  
"Now!"   
  
We broke into a sprint just as something swiped out of the darkness, missing our bodies by inches. Our feet pounded against the metal, mixing with furious cries all around us. We only had moments to dodge huge holes in the grating as they appeared in our light, bumping into one another and struggling not to trip. Something clanked hard behind us, as if a horse were galloping after us. I had no time to turn around and look, nor did I want to.   
  
We soon came to a resemblance of an intersection, and I pulled us to the left. This was supposed to be Katz St., so I could only hope we were going in the right direction. Todd kept glancing at me out of the corner of his eye as we panted down the "street", looking for guidance.   
  
Our run soon started to wear on my muscles, and although Todd seemed to be doing just fine, my legs started experiencing an irritating, itchy sensation. I could do nothing about it, or it would all be over. I inwardly cursed myself for not being in better shape.   
  
Soon we approached the next intersection, and once again I steered us, this time right onto Munson St. I'd seen a park somewhere up this way on the map, but I didn't think that would do us much good. It did mean, however, that we were close to the boat dock - our immediate destination.   
  
With every muscle starting to burn with the strain, we raced toward Nathan Ave. We'd passed all sorts of "things" on the way so far, but with only a quick glance as we ran, I still couldn't tell what was around us. Whatever they were, they didn't look natural... or friendly.   
  
Finally we got to Nathan, but our left turn was cut short. Skidding to a stop, the flashlight passed across some sort of huge creature in the way. It was covered in some sort of thick skin, giving me the impression of a rhinoceros, though I'd never seen one this big. It twitched a bit and turned toward us. Two globular protrusions on its body quivered as it turned, each looking like a gooey boil about to pop. Sticky, whitish fluids oozed over its skin, secreted from god-knows-where and dripping onto the grating beneath.   
  
"Todd," I said, practically crushing his hand in mine, "shoot it!"  
  
"No," he said simply, pulling me off to the side.   
  
He took the lead and started running with renewed vigor, pulling me with him like a rag doll. It was all I could do to keep up as we skirted past the hulking creature. Whatever it was, it wasn't moving very fast, and even seemed confused that we'd suddenly disappeared.   
  
With the thing behind us, we ran ever onward. The creatures chasing us had apparently stopped, for we heard nothing now except our own panting breath and clunking footsteps. The air was hard to breathe in fully, smelling strongly of rust and decay.   
  
Finally we saw a sign, covered in what appeared to be dried blood, stating "Silent Hill Historical Society". We ran off the main road (even though everything was rusted metal and grating) and around the historical building. The building itself was made of large sheets of rusted steel, splotched with blood and who-knew what else. Of course, the front of the building had a door (which looked like the entrance to the meat locker from hell), but I wasn't about to waste time here when we were so close to the hotel.  
  
Finally clear of the building, we thankfully slowed down a bit as we approached the boat launch. To our complete surprise, the launch itself looked just like it ought to; it was all plywood and railings, devoid of grating and filth. Of course, it didn't look like it'd been used for years, but it was much more inviting than anything else we'd seen for the past half hour. Now that we'd slowed down to a walk, I actually thought about it. We'd been running that long. I was amazed that my body had held up.   
  
"Is this {pant} where we're supposed {huff} to be?" managed Todd.  
  
"{huff} Yeah," I said, looking down as we huddled up to my crumpled map.   
  
We both took a knee, and Todd glanced at me.  
  
"Well," he said, "that was fun."  
  
I grinned as I caught my breath. We both looked at each other with a newfound respect - we'd run through hell together and helped one another survive.  
  
A deep creak came from the side of the dock. Todd and I froze, almost forgetting to breathe, as we slowly lifted our heads (and the flashlight) to the source of the noise.   
  
At first glance, it looked like a person was stretched out on a gurney, face down, with its arms hanging over the sides. However, as it came further into view, we realized with horror that it definitely wasn't a person. The humanoid being was actually part of the gurney itself, its entirety completely covered in pus-ridden skin. The bottom, where wheels should have been, had instead stumpy leg-like appendages that were slowly walking the conglomeration toward us.   
  
Without warning, the humanoid portion started convulsing, violently twitching from side to side. It had no discernable face of any kind, but that didn't stop it from suddenly screaming horribly at us. It sounded as though a woman were screaming with her head underwater. Its arms raised themselves, reaching out for us with bloodstained hands and black, rotting fingernails.   
  
At that moment, two choices presented themselves in my mind: puke (and probably end up dying in the hands of this monstrosity), or run like hell to the boats and pray that the thing couldn't swim.   
  
Guess which choice I made? 


	8. Mixup

Alrighty, well, I finally got the next chapter up. Yes, it's taking me a while, thanks to Real Life(tm) getting in the way. Worry not, though. This story will be written to completion. As for adding in Silent Hill 3 stuff, I'll be hard pressed. I've only gotten to play about an hour and a half of it, and since I like exploring every nook and cranny of the levels, that isn't very far into the game (for those of you who've played it, I'm just into the subway tunnel).   
  
But I digress. Here you are. Oh, and for those of you who like Todd, you have nothing to worry about. Trust me. ;)   
  
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Chapter 8: Mix-up  
  
With remarkable timing, Todd and I rolled out of the way as the flailing gurney-woman-thing tromped over to where we'd kneeled. The monster shrieked in fury, violently thrashing its limbs while its stumpy feet turned toward us.   
  
"Kuri," Todd said suddenly, "get to the boats and get one ready. I'll keep this thing busy."  
  
"What!? Are you insane?"  
  
"No time to argue, just go!!"  
  
Quickly focusing on the thing now charging at us at breakneck speed, Todd pumped the trigger. The bullet hit right on the mark, directly between where its eyes should have been. I was impressed; either he was a great marksman (which he'd never mentioned, I might add), or he was damn lucky. I guessed the latter.  
  
I spun around and bolted to the edge of the dock, only a few dozen yards away. Only one rickety boat remained tied to the pier, although another rope dangled from the railing. Perhaps Stephanie had taken that boat to get to the hotel? I prayed this was the case as I quickly untied the loose knot and stepped down into the rotting boat.   
  
"Todd! C'mon, lets go!" I yelled, holding onto the pier.   
  
A few more gunshots went off, followed by snarling and roaring. Then there was silence. I strained to see in the darkness, but to no avail. The fog completely shrouded everything just a few feet in front of me.   
  
A few moments went by with no noise, and I started to panic. What if Todd was hurt, or worse? Should I tie up the boat and go find out? But then again, what if he was fine and arrived at the boat with no time to untie it again? These and a million other questions raced through my mind as my hands started shaking against the moldy wooden pier.   
  
Clunk clunk. Footsteps? Clunk clunk clunk. Coming closer... was it him?   
  
"T-todd?" I croaked, craning my neck to see anything approaching. And approach something did.  
  
A rotting hand shot out of the darkness, missing my face by mere centimeters. I cried out in surprise, falling backwards into the boat. The momentum was enough to put a few feet of distance between the pier and me, and I realized now that I couldn't do anything to help Todd.   
  
The creature, aggravated that it'd missed its prey, hunched its legs back as if to leap onto the boat. Then there were gunshots. The monster, twitching in time with each blast and howling in pain, was being attacked from behind.   
  
"Todd! Hurry up before I float too far!" I screamed, relieved that he was still around.  
  
Running thuds emanated from behind the beast, and a human form emerged from the blackness. Todd leaped into the air and, using the gurney monster as a sort of ramp, ran the length of its back, leaping instantly from its shoulders and landing hard into the boat. Needless to say, I was clobbered in the process, but at least we were now safe. He got off of me as the boat floated further out into the lake, and I looked up at him.   
  
All the blood drained from my face as I stifled a cry. This wasn't Todd at all. It was-  
  
"O-officer Mimms?!"   
  
The young police officer dusted herself off and shoved her gun in its holster, finally looking up at my incredulous expression.  
  
"Yup, it's me."  
  
"But... but... what about Todd?" I was nearly frantic.  
  
"You mean that boy I saw you with?" she asked. "I haven't seen him since I first met you."  
  
"He was right out there on the dock!" I screamed. "He was shooting that monster so I could get the boat ready, and then he just disappeared."  
  
This wasn't making any sense at all, and the expression on the woman's face didn't help to ease my confusion.  
  
"Look, I didn't see anyone out there, ok?" she said irritably. "I was a little preoccupied with trying to stay alive, ya know."   
  
"Yeah, sorry," I mumbled, looking down into my lap. "I know what you mean."  
  
"By the way, wasn't there another person with you? A girl?"  
  
With a deep sigh, I proceeded to tell the officer about everything that'd happened since we saw her - the store, Mr. Sunderland, the gun, the monsters, and finally what had just occurred. She took it all in rather well, looking at me as if she knew exactly what I was going through. Finally when I was done, she put her hands on my shoulders.  
  
"Look, Kuri, I promise I'll help you find your friends. I'm sure wherever they are, they're fine."  
  
Looking at the compassion on her face, I couldn't take it anymore. I threw my arms around her, bursting into racking sobs. Her hands gently patted my back and pet my hair until my emotions finally expended themselves.  
  
With no tears left to cry, I crawled back into my corner of the boat, ashamed that I'd become that emotional in front of someone. Jody seemed to sense my embarrassment and spoke up.  
  
"You said your plan was to go to the hotel across this lake, right?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"Well, then. It should only be a bit of paddling, and we're there. I'll propel us as best I can if you'll help. Wadda ya say?"  
  
I managed a smile and said I would.   
  
We started out into the murk, my only point of direction being a small light coming from the opposite side of the lake. I couldn't think of anything else it could be but the hotel. With Jody paddling, I, too, dipped my hand into the water to steer; the water was icy to the touch, almost as if I were dipping my hand into fear itself. The thought didn't appeal to me, so I pushed it from my mind.   
  
Along the way, probably a good five minutes or so from the previous shore, I spotted a small island of grass to my right. It wasn't very big, maybe enough to fit two or three people on. Why there was a mini island in the middle of a resort lake, I had no idea. Upon further inspection, I could make out the remains of some sort of glass jar, broken alongside a fancy goblet. It would have been interesting to investigate, but at this point I had more important matters to attend to.   
  
It took about ten more minutes until we finally made it to the other side, docking at a set of wooden steps leading up to an iron gate. I guessed that perhaps the craziness of rusty metal grating and monsters was over, since everything here looked natural... Old, but natural. Over to the side was tethered another boat, very similar to the one we'd taken. My heart felt a tad lighter at the prospect of finally finding Stephanie.  
  
We walked up the expanse of steps and opened the creaking gate. A small courtyard lay before us, a fountain on the side, and the hotel just in front of us. The hotel door was slightly ajar, and standing just inside was...  
  
"James!" I called, smiling.   
  
I broke into a jog, happy at seeing another familiar face. Don't get me wrong, the police officer was nice, but... I just had a weird feeling about her.  
  
James, too, was smiling at the sight of me. It was an odd smile; almost...fatherly. Looking up from me, his smile faltered at the sight of the approaching Mimms.  
  
"Kuri, good to see you made it," he said. "And you've brought another friend?"  
  
I glanced at the policewoman and nodded politely.   
  
"Yeah, this is Officer Mimms. I met her when I first got to Silent Hill."  
  
The officer nodded in greeting and was given a nod in return.  
  
"Well, I-hold on a sec," said James. "Where did Todd go?"  
  
My smile faded and I looked at my feet, struggling not to cry again.  
  
"We got separated at the dock."  
  
"Are you hurt at all?" asked James, lifting my chin gently. "He did protect you, didn't he?"  
  
"Y-yeah," I said, surprised at his concern. "He saved my life."  
  
"Good. Well, why don't we go inside?"  
  
We needed no persuasion and followed immediately after James. 


	9. Handshakes and Hot Chocolate

Yes yes, I know. It's been a week or so since I updated. Lots of things to do lately, and that included playing and beating SH3. Great game, if you haven't played it.   
  
Which reminds me, this chapter contains some spoilers for SH3. Minor though they be, consider yourself warned. And since it's taken me so long to update, I figured why not give the readers a little bit more to read? So here it is, slightly longer than usual.   
  
Enjoy! ;)  
  
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Chapter 9: Handshakes and Hot Chocolate  
  
The hotel foyer was much warmer than outside, almost too warm. It was an invading sort of heat that seemed to coat your skin. At this moment, though, I wasn't complaining. Anything was better than the rusty nightmare I'd just been through.   
  
The walls were covered in moldy rotting wallpaper. Upon inquiring, though, James said they were in the process of renovating. I was momentarily disappointed that I'd spent so much money on a room in this place; it didn't seem worth the price at all. Then again, money didn't really seem that important in light of the recent events.  
  
We walked around to an old set of mahogany double doors when James stopped and turned to Officer Mimms and me.  
  
"Please wait just a sec while I go get Mary."  
  
With a turn on his heel, he closed the creaky doors behind him. A long uncomfortable silence ensued for a minute or two, so I finally turned to the officer.  
  
"How you holding up?"   
  
She stared straight ahead at the doors, and for the first time since the boat trip, I noticed the worried expression on her face. Whether it was the chill from outside or the horrendous things she'd been through, I didn't know, but she stood there, silently quivering.  
  
"Jody?" I said slowly, putting my hand on her arm.   
  
The touch made her start, and for a split second I thought she was going to shoot me or something. Slowly, she gave a small, insincere smile.  
  
"Sorry, kid. Just... nervous, I guess."  
  
"It's alright," I said. "I know the feeling. But we're safe now. James saved me before, remember? I'm sure he'll protect us if something bad happens."  
  
Suddenly Jody leaned down and grabbed my wrist, forcing me to look her directly in the eyes. The look she gave me could've melted steel.  
  
"Kuri, you listen to me. Don't trust this guy, James, or anyone else, got it? This whole town's screwed up, and I don't think we've seen the end of it."  
  
Her paranoia was clearly clouding her judgment. I was just about to tell her so, too, when the doors in front of us suddenly opened. James appeared, looking from me to Jody.  
  
"Am I interrupting something?"  
  
"No," I said, wriggling out of Mimms' grip and walking forward. "Not at all."  
  
James smiled warmly but suddenly winced. The side of his face was red with just a hint of purple. Had he been like that before and I just didn't notice? Probably, I told myself. I was a bit preoccupied after all. No matter, for James' expression quickly changed back. He'd probably fallen or something and was too manly to show that it hurt. Seemed the type of thing he'd do.   
  
He led us through the doors and into a dining room. Tables were haphazardly placed at uneven distances from one another, a white tablecloth on top of each. As with everything else in the hotel, a thin layer of dust coated our surroundings, although the occasional handprint broke its consistency. A black baby grand piano sat in the corner, suggesting that this was once a very classy establishment.   
  
Up at the far part of the room, sitting on a stool in front of the bar, was a woman with her hands folded neatly in front of her. Her dirty blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, revealing a young face. A yellow shawl was wrapped around her shoulders, the rest of her covered in a blue floral dress. Although she seemed a nice looking person, she was also clearly stressed due to the dark circles under her eyes and a pale complexion.   
  
As we approached, she stood and smiled warmly. There was something odd about that smile, almost as if she'd been expecting our arrival for a long time. I shook off the feeling and smiled back, glad to see a friendly face.  
  
"I'd like you two to meet my wife, Mary," said James, smiling softly at her. "Mary, this is Kuri Fletcher and Jody Mimms."  
  
"Nice to meet you," I said, holding out my hand to shake hers.   
  
She took my hand and gently squeezed it. Her touch was so soft, yet it felt so sincere. She smiled even more, and let go of my hand. Mimms held her hand out as well, though the exchange between her and Mary didn't seem nearly as warm; more like they shook hands for the mere purpose of formality.   
  
"I'm glad to finally meet you," she said, her voice soft and scratchy at the same time. "James has told me much about you, but I'd rather hear it from you. That is, if you don't mind. I made some hot chocolate, so perhaps we'll have some while we talk?"  
  
We took seats around one of the larger tables as Mary brought out a tray with steamy hot chocolate and some sugar cakes. I couldn't think of a better way to ease my nerves than this, so I gladly accepted a mug and a cake. Mimms took a cake, politely refusing the hot chocolate. James took two cakes and a mug, and finally Mary was seated.  
  
Once we finished our treats, I began to tell Mary exactly what'd happened since we'd arrived. She listened quietly, her hands folded in front of her. Many times James seemed like he wanted to speak, but a glance from Mary made him hold his tongue. I found it a bit odd that a strong-spirited fellow like James would be so subservient to a gentle woman like Mary. Perhaps I was just reading too much into it.  
  
Once I was done, we all sat in silence. Mary looked to be pondering my situation, while James fiddled with the end of the tablecloth. Jody sat as she had the entire conversation, a deep look of mistrust written all over her face. I couldn't understand why she was being so paranoid. Did she prefer the company of monsters to the Sunderlands?  
  
Finally Mary broke the silence with a sigh.  
  
"I'll do what I can, Kuri, to help you find your friends. That is, James and I, we both will."  
  
I nodded in gratitude. With all the hospitality that was being shown to me, I started feeling horrible that I was in here, safe, while my friends were who-knew-where. Was I really so selfish that I could forget about them so easily?  
  
"Um.. Mary?" I said. "Do you think they're ok? I mean, with all those monsters out there-"  
  
"Kuri, try not to worry," said Mary. "God is watching over them."  
  
I started to retort, but what was left of my strength seemed to leave my body. I was very tired, very quickly. It was weird; I mean, I know I was tired, but... It didn't matter what I thought, because all became a blur before me. The last thing I saw before the world turned white was Jody jumping up and reaching for her gun.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
  
  
A lone figure walked through the mist, a girl with short blonde hair. She wore a white jacket over an orange shirt, green shorts, and calf-length boots. She was crying, too, and in her right hand was clutched a notebook. Through her tears, I could make out a few short sentences... Something about avenging her dad, about getting back at someone named Claudia. A pistol was in her other hand, though her grip was somewhat shaky.   
  
She ran off, and try as I might to follow her, my legs wouldn't move. I was suddenly fading, fading back into the real world. Glimpses of my surroundings made themselves evident just before I awoke; images of horses...  
  
The world came back to me in a jolt. I sat upright, trying to get a grip on what was real and what wasn't. Why was I seeing these things, these... visions? I looked around and realized I was in a bed, still fully clothed. How did I get here? Perhaps James carried me. Good old James, always looking out for me. But where was Jody?   
  
Then I remembered her pulling out her gun as I... fainted? Fell asleep? In any case, she wouldn't get her gun for nothing. I got out of the bed and walked across the wooden floors. Each step made the floorboards creak with stress. The room itself was small, with only one bed, a nightstand, a closet, and a tiny bathroom attached. If this was the room I'd paid so much for, I was going to wring someone's neck.  
  
I got to the door and opened it slowly. It was far too dark in the hall to see anything, which made me wonder how long I'd been out of it. Didn't feel like more than a few hours. I tried a light switch on the wall, but to no avail. Back in the room, my backpack lay on the nightstand, so I strapped it on and found the flashlight I'd been using earlier. I admit, I was in no mood to go adventuring (if that's what you'd call it), but I needed some answers. Lets not even mention how worried I was about Steph and Todd.  
  
Flipping on the flashlight, I walked into the hallway. It looked like I'd walked right onto the set of The Shining. Musty, dust-ridden walls held picture frames with eerie portraits of men and women. Some looked religious, with names underneath like "Origin of God" and such. I really didn't have time to delve into such foolishness, so I started walking down the corridor.   
  
Chances were, Jody was in one of these rooms, so I started trying to open doors. Each one, however, was locked, and no matter how hard I pushed and tugged, they wouldn't open. Sturdy doors for a broken down hotel, I thought to myself.  
  
Just then, I heard muffled voices coming from a room straight ahead. A faint glow came from the cracks of the door, so whoever was inside probably had some candles lit. I turned off my flashlight and crept closer, trying to discern what was being said. Two voices were talking, both female, and once was definitely Mary.   
  
"All is nearly complete then?" asked Mary.  
  
"Yes," said the other voice. "The girl has begun to remember who she really is. Once she fully understands, I'm sure she'll welcome the Paradise for which we've long dreamed."   
  
"Well, don't expect obedience, at least not immediately," said Mary. "The poor child never did have much respect for authority, even for her own mother."  
  
Well this was interesting. Mary and James had a daughter? Funny how they never mentioned... but there was more.  
  
"Nevertheless, if you fail, I have a backup plan here," Mary said. "But mark my words, if you do fail, God will punish you severely."  
  
"Yes... I know."  
  
"Good. Now, what of Father Vincent? Has he been taken care of yet?"  
  
"Not yet. I don't understand what drives him. He used to be so involved with our cause, but lately... it's as if he wants us all to die, just so he can keep pilfering the money out of the people's pockets. On top of that, he mocks God every chance he gets."  
  
The woman was near the point of rage, it seemed, but Mary's voice broke in.  
  
"Don't trouble yourself worrying about his sinful ways. He will get what is coming to him, make no mistake. In the meantime, concentrate on the task at hand. And if that meddlesome fool tries to stop you, you know what must be done... for the sake of the Order, of course."  
  
"Yes, I understand."  
  
"Claudia, my dear Claudia. You look simply dreadful as of late. Do get some rest; I'm sure you'll need it."  
  
Claudia... was that the same Claudia as in that weird dream? And what was up with Mary? Did James know what was happening?   
  
I didn't have long to think about these questions, as I suddenly became very dizzy. A sudden burst of sound emanated inside my head, forcing me to my knees. I couldn't move or speak; the sirens drowned my senses. A few seconds later, it was over. I opened my eyes, but I wished I'd kept them closed. 


	10. Mistake

Good grief, I'm up to 25 reviews. Yay! Thanks to everyone who's written a review for me, they really do keep me motivated for this fic. Keep 'em coming, please.   
  
Oh, and to Silvace Atronach: Thanks for the in-depth review, I do appreciate it (though you may just want to email me from now on if all your reviews are that long). As far as the environmental details are concerned, you're right; I shall work on that.   
  
You also stated something about the timetable between SH2 and SH3. I respect your opinion/theory, but please realize it is exactly that: a theory, and one that I personally don't agree with. There is no exact proof that states when SH2 took place, but do understand that this fic takes place sometime after a certain ending in SH2. I could argue theories about this all day, but in the end, neither of us would be right. For lots of theories involving the series, I'd suggest going to http://www.silenthillforum.co.uk/ if you haven't already. If you happen to be a member of that forum, you can send me a PM if you'd like. My screenname is DenizenEvil.   
  
While I understand the remainder of your concerns, I do have an answer for each one of them. However, I cannot give them to you now, because it'd ruin the entire thing. Read and wait, my friend.  
  
And now, the next juicy chapter. Have fun, kiddies. ^__^  
  
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Chapter 10: Mistake  
  
I shakily flipped on my flashlight. Decay had once again taken hold over the physical world, and once again its noxious presence filled my senses with horror. Rust and grime were my company, saturating the very air I breathed. My tongue was coated with a copper-ish flavor; I immediately recognized it as blood, though I, myself, was not bleeding.  
  
I wanted to cry, to scream, but I knew neither would eject me from this prison, this reality. Prison... now there was a thought I hadn't given light to. Was I being punished for something? What could I possibly do (what could anyone do, for that matter) to warrant such a hell? Now that I thought about it, the idea seemed to hold something significant, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it.   
  
In fact, the more I tried to rationalize it, the more the answer seemed to evade me. Little did it matter, however, as in mid-thought, a metallic clank broke the silence. I spun around to see a gigantic metal fence that had apparently fallen out of nowhere. I had the sudden suspicion that someone (or something) was trying to trap me, and the idea of being caged in this place was not at all appealing. I ran.  
  
I ran down filthy corridors, one by one, not knowing where I was going or what awaited me. All I knew is that every ten feet or so, a rusty slam indicated a new gate dropping behind me. I felt like a sheep being led to slaughter; someone was screwing with me and I certainly didn't appreciate it. As I ran, I silently swore that if I ever found the dirty, rotten dog that was doing all of this, I'd kill him.  
  
After taking another turn, I ran straight into a wall. I staggered backwards, and upon looking up I realized it wasn't a wall at all. It was a humungous door, metal and rusted like everything else. This, however, had a large amount of blood caked around the edges, especially near the bottom. I knew that whatever lay beyond this door was not going to be pleasant. A final crash resounded behind me, telling me that this door was the only way to go. Great, I thought to myself.   
  
I slowly turned the handle and opened the door, announcing my arrival with an earsplitting squeal of metal. If I'd wanted the element of surprise, it was surely lost now. I walked in and closed the door behind me, flashing my torch around the room. It was a large, empty room, about as big as a school classroom. There was really nothing to see, actually. Nothing, that is, except for a large metal box sitting upright in the center of the room.   
  
The box was rectangular, as if inside was a large floor lamp or something. No, rectangular wasn't right. It had slanted edges, going narrower as they neared the bottom. It was almost like..a....   
  
My insides suddenly felt as if I'd swallowed ten pounds of ice. This was no box; it was a coffin. To make matters worse, I realized that there was a small scratchy noise coming from somewhere. I looked around and saw that it was coming from the radio in my backpack. It was different, somehow, than when it screeched around monsters. It was... like a radio broadcast or something. No... rather, like someone talking over a walky-talky.   
  
Weird, I thought to myself, slowly walking closer. I don't know why I got close to the thing at all, though. All common sense told me to get the hell out of there, but I was... compelled to see what or who was inside. It was important, somehow. As if to confirm these feelings, the radio piped up a bit louder with each step. Finally, I was in front of the coffin; the radio went silent.   
  
Hardly of my own will, my hand inched toward the latch on the steel box. I wanted so much to run... I silently begged my hand to stop, but I couldn't. My hand touched the latch when the radio once again came to life. This time, however, what I heard made me forget to breathe.  
  
"Kuri... Kuri? You're there, I know you are."  
  
It was Stephanie's voice coming from the radio. It sounded distorted, though, almost as if two people were talking at once. The sound made me shiver with dread, but I listened.  
  
"You're looking for me, aren't you?" She sighed with raspy, hollow breath. "You won't find me. No one will. Well, that's not true... Maybe... if you dig...."   
  
Her voice stopped, and shuttered. What came next was a mix of tears and shouting.  
  
"I hate you! Kuri, you murderous bitch, I hate you!!"  
  
I swallowed hard, slowly stepping back. My flashlight dropped from my hand and clattered to the grated floor, going out. I was drenched in blackness, but the radio squealed on relentlessly.  
  
"Kuri!! You'll get what you deserve! Kuri! Kuri!!"  
  
I was crying as well now. I didn't know what to think or do.   
  
"Kuri!!" rang out a new voice, not from the radio, but behind me.  
  
It was Todd.  
  
"Todd!" I screamed, frantically stumbling in the pitch.  
  
"Kuri, what are you-"  
  
A gigantic bang resounded behind me, followed by an inhuman shriek. It was too much. I nearly choked on my tears as I ran blindly toward where I'd heard Todd's voice. Something slammed into me from behind, knocking me to the ground. Whatever it was, it was huge; I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. Another shriek echoed around the room, followed by a wallop to my head. All went dark as tiny dots danced around my vision. One by one, they went out, and darkness consumed me.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
I don't know how long I was gone, but thankfully I didn't dream. I slowly opened my eyes, seeing a blurry figure above me. I jerked my eyes open and tried to roll away, but it held me down.  
  
"Hey, whoa! It's ok, Kuri. It's just me," said a worried James Sunderland.  
  
I fell back onto the bed, relief spreading over my body. I was back in the same bed as before, only this time a little sunlight seeped in through the dusty windows. The rust and blood had vanished as before, much to my delight.   
  
James sat at the edge of the bed, a damp cloth in his hand.  
  
"Are you feeling ok?" he asked gently.  
  
"Y-yeah, sorry for freaking out," I said, embarrassed. "It's just... I..."  
  
The previous events flooded back into my mind as I looked at James.  
  
"Todd! Where is he?" I asked, now frantic. "And Stephanie, I heard her. There was this coffin, and-"  
  
"Easy now, slow down," said James, putting the cloth back on my forehead. "Why don't you tell me what happened, ok?"  
  
I told him everything: about what I'd heard between Mary and Claudia, the gates and corridors, the coffin and the radio... By the end, James had gone from worried to grim.  
  
"James, what does this mean?" I asked, looking him in the eye. "I know you know something. Please, you have to tell me what's going on."  
  
A few moments went by, our eyes unmoving from one another. Finally, he looked away.  
  
"Kuri, I'm sorry you're involved in all of this," he said, looking at the bed. "Really, I am. I don't know why you showed up in this town, but you have to get out somehow. If you stay..."  
  
"I tried to leave, remember," I said, frustrated. "And what'll happen if I stay, James? What aren't you telling me?"  
  
More silence... and then...  
  
"My wife, Mary... she died a few years ago. I know it sounds crazy," he said, seeing my expression, "but she did. I brought her back, though. I conducted this whole ceremony and everything, and promised to follow the teachings of the ancient gods. Apparently I was heard, because Mary was given new life."  
  
"You don't know how happy I was," he said, turning to face me. "I was back with her, the only person I ever really loved. But as time went by, I started to notice differences. She's not the same as when she was first alive, Kuri. It's like she's not really Mary at all... just a puppet or something..."  
  
"Anyway, she started really getting into the whole cult thing. At first I thought it was just a weird spiritual fascination; it would pass. But it didn't, and now all she ever talks about is the 'rebirth of God'. I haven't really had anything to do with all of that since the day I brought Mary back, and she throws it in my face every chance she gets. She says I'll go to hell if I don't welcome the arrival of God, that I should do what she tells me and stop asking questions. "  
  
James looked quite angry now, even frightening.   
  
"I've put up with this for far too long," he said, balling his hands into fists. "I'm sorry that I didn't stop this sooner, Kuri. I guess I just wanted to believe that everything would go back to how it used to be... when we were happy."  
  
"James," I said, "why did you tell us to come here? To this hotel, I mean... was it Mary?"  
  
"...Yeah. She somehow found out you'd come to Silent Hill, though I don't see how. She told me that your life was in danger, and that I needed to make sure you got here safely. But then, as I was about to leave... she told me I couldn't bring you myself; something about you coming 'of your own accord'..."  
  
"...That doesn't make a lot of sense..." I said, dumbfounded.  
  
"You're telling me. So anyway, I did what she said. When I came back, she'd locked herself in her room and told me not to disturb her until you arrived."  
  
"So... I showed up and then..." Then it came to me. "Jody! Where is Jody?"  
  
"Who?" said James. "Oh, that woman you were with. Yeah. When I told Mary that she was here too, she let me have it. Kept screaming about interference..."  
  
"But where is she, James!?"  
  
"I... don't really know. Everything got pretty crazy after you passed out."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
James got up and leaned over me.   
  
"Look, there's no time for all this right now. I promise, I'll explain everything later, but right now you have to get yourself out of here. Here." He dug in his jacket pocket and pulled out a key. "Take this and go past the amusement park to Annie's Bar. It's on Bachman Road. Wait for me there; I shouldn't be too long. From there, we can figure out what to do about finding your friends and getting you out."  
  
I sat up, purpose filling my veins.   
  
"Oh, and by now you've noticed that this town isn't exactly safe," he said. He went over to the dresser and pulled something out of the top drawer. "Take this."  
  
It was a pistol, similar to the one he'd given Todd, along with two magazines of ammunition.  
  
"I have to go now," he said, heading for the door. "Remember, Annie's Bar. And... if I don't make it, there should be a connecting highway if you go north on Bachman. It's the other way into this town."  
  
Apparently that was the road I'd missed on the way here.  
  
"What do you mean, 'if you don't make it'?" I asked. "What are you going to do, James?"  
  
He stopped, not bothering to turn around as he spoke.  
  
"I have to correct a mistake I made a long time ago..."  
  
And with that, he was gone. 


	11. Voice of Betrayal

I've been practically sleepless the past few nights, eager to churn out more of this fic. 'Tis getting good, no? So I thought, hey, why not do 2 chappies this time? And that's what I did. All is near to falling into place, so have fun, my pets.   
  
...Bwuahahahahaaa!  
  
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Chapter 11: Voice of Betrayal  
  
For a few moments, I simply sat there on the rickety bed with my legs dangling over the side, staring at the weapon in my hand. I'd never even touched a gun before. In reality, I abhorred the use of guns, but for this place I think I'd make an exception. I wasn't about to become a casualty just because of some silly belief.  
  
I got up and grabbed my backpack. Surprisingly, everything was still there, despite all the trouble I'd been through. Even the flashlight was there, and upon inspection I found that it still worked. Well this is good news, I thought. Under the flashlight, though, I saw something that wasn't there before. It was a crumpled up piece of paper. I laid it out before me and read what was scribbled on it:  
  
  
  
I'm glad you're safe. You have to be more careful from now on. We wouldn't want you to die, now would we? I'll meet you again soon. Until then, stay alive.   
  
Todd  
  
  
  
I crumpled the paper back up and tossed it into my pack. Just what did he think he was doing? He'd "meet" me soon? Why he was out running around this place to begin with? It didn't make any sense. Unless... maybe he was trying to find Stephanie... That would be more like him. He could be heroic at times. If only he'd waited for me, we could both look. Yeah right, I told myself. He'd never ask for help. Men...  
  
Trying to forget the notion of Todd running around smashing every window in Silent Hill with his boots, I strapped on my pack once more. This was it. At last, I was going get out of this God forsaken place. Clicking the button near the trigger of the gun, I took off what I assumed was the safety and tucked it into my pocket. With any luck, I could avoid shooting myself in the foot.   
  
I crept across the room and opened the door, peering into the hallway. Things weren't so scary this time, as a small trickle of daylight came in through the windows at either end. No sign of anyone either. I made my way down the hall, walking as silently as I could, until I came to a staircase. I tiptoed down to the bottom into the large entrance room where I'd first arrived with Jody. Locating the door, I ran for it, throwing it open and leaping out the door.   
  
I was immediately surrounded by fog as I crossed the threshold onto the lawn. However, I could distinctly hear the chirp of birds and bullfrogs, so I wasn't too worried. After all, those were natural creatures. It was the unnatural ones I was afraid of.   
  
I whipped out my map again from the pack and frantically searched for my location. Finally I found the hotel and located the bar I was supposed to go to. James was right, I'd have to go through the amusement park to get there. Oh great, I said to myself. As if that's not the creepiest place I could imagine visiting. Well, perhaps a hospital or something would be creepier, but who in their right mind would go there?  
  
I stuffed the map in my pocket and ran across the lawn, looking for an exit. I couldn't believe my luck at not getting caught. It was almost too easy. As if on cue, a voice emanated from the white quagmire of fog.  
  
"Going somewhere?"   
  
I froze. I knew it was too good to be true. But who was it? It wasn't Mary. The voice was scratchy and hoarse, and definitely male.   
  
"W-who's there?" I said, my hand slowly pulling out the gun.  
  
"You don't know me?" it croaked. "Ah, but I know you. And I know what you've done."  
  
"I haven't done anything," I said, inching away from the voice. "Whoever you are, leave me alone."  
  
"You may have fooled the others, but you don't fool me," it said.   
  
There was something very familiar about the voice, though I couldn't place it. As I backed up, I suddenly found myself against an iron gate. My hand frantically searched for a latch as I faced my unknown company.  
  
"Look, I don't have time for this."  
  
My hand found a lever, and I yanked, opening a squealing metal gate.   
  
"Time?" said the voice. "Time, my dear Stephanie, is running out."  
  
My heart skipped a beat. I staggered through the gate opening and slammed it shut.  
  
"I-I'm not Stephanie," I said, slowly. "But if you know something about her, you'd better tell me."  
  
I pointed my gun threateningly in its direction. I'm sure I looked ridiculous, but I didn't care.  
  
"What," it said, "you plan to kill me? That'd be too easy for you, Stephanie."  
  
I wasn't getting anywhere. There was no time for this, anyway.  
  
"Go to hell," I said, pocketing the gun.  
  
I turned and broke into a run along a trail. Trees, or at least the shadows of trees, surrounded me, so I supposed I was in a forest once again.   
  
A few minutes went by, and I stopped to catch my breath. Suddenly a gunshot in the distance broke the silence. It was a large shot, too, far too powerful to be a pistol. More like a shotgun. Was that person I'd just talked to shooting at me? The thought wasn't encouraging, so I moved on.   
  
After a little, I stopped again. Whoever that was back there, he didn't follow me. However, I finally realized where I knew the voice from. It was the same drawling, scratchy voice that took my information over the phone when I called in for reservations. Was he a hotel patron that James just hadn't mentioned? I doubted it, recalling the look of shock on his face when I mentioned I'd made reservations. Perhaps he was one of Mary's cult followers.   
  
But why on earth would he think I was Stephanie? For the third time since I'd arrived in this town, an odd feeling presented itself in my gut. Something was important in all of this mess...   
  
An image flashed through my mind. It was a car, the same car I'd remembered in the graveyard. It was traveling down a dark highway in the rain. No, not just traveling... speeding. Swerving. There was a high bridge ahead...   
  
Something in the foliage rustled around, breaking my thoughts. I rose to my feet, warily looking into the fog. Nothing. No more movement.   
  
Then something grabbed my shoulder from behind.  
  
In one movement, I spun around and had my gun pointed at the assailant.   
  
"Hey!"  
  
Todd backed a few steps away from me.  
  
"Todd!" I exclaimed. "God, don't ever do that again!"  
  
He grinned mischievously.  
  
"Gotta keep you on your toes," he chuckled.  
  
I pocketed the pistol and turned back to him. He was eyeing my gun curiously.  
  
"Where'd you get that?" he asked.  
  
"James."  
  
He frowned.  
  
"Todd, where the hell have you been?"  
  
He waved his hand nonchalantly.  
  
"Out looking for Steph. Someone had to, right?"  
  
I took a step forward.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" I growled. "You think I haven't been looking?"  
  
"Look, lets just go, ok?"  
  
Angrily, I pushed his hands off me and started trudging along the path, which soon turned to concrete. At one point in the walk, Todd asked me if I was mad at him. Was I? I didn't know, honestly. Maybe I had wasted too much time. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like I didn't care whether I found Stephanie or not. Though I knew that wasn't really true, I know I could've done more.   
  
********************************************************************************  
  
Finally we arrived at the park gates. They were once festively decorated in bright yellows and reds, but time had sucked most of the color right out of them. Litter and weeds lined the cracked concrete. I felt like I was in an ancient ruin or something, one I didn't want to explore.  
  
We walked through and past the vacant ticket gates into a large, circular area. Shops lined the circle, clad in brick. I had no desire to wander in and out of empty shops, so we walked on. The amusement park wasn't as bad as I'd imagined it'd be. I mean, sure, it was creepy with broken, rotting machinery everywhere, but at least monsters weren't chasing me (for which I was thankful).   
  
We came through several gates and into an area with some benches. On one of those benches sat a figure, one I recognized as-  
  
"James!"  
  
I ran over to him, but he didn't look up. I stopped in front of him, looking with concern.  
  
"James, you ok?"  
  
He shook his head and wiped his eyes; clearly he'd been crying.  
  
"She's dead. I... I killed her."  
  
"James... you mean...," I spoke softly.  
  
"Mary... she's... she's..."  
  
"Very much alive," spoke a voice from behind a carousel.  
  
Every head turned to the voice.  
  
"Mary?!" exclaimed James.  
  
It was indeed Mary, just as I'd seen her last. Well, almost. Her dress was soaked with blood, a large hole in the center. Her flesh, though, was pristine, and she didn't appear to be hurt in the least.  
  
"Hello, James," said Mary.  
  
"B-but... but, I killed you!" he shouted in disbelief.   
  
"Yes... again," she said with a sneer. "Or so it would seem. But you see, God looks after Her faithful. By Her grace, I am alive to fulfill Her will."  
  
She raised her hands skyward.  
  
"Finally all is in place! The path to Paradise will soon be opened."  
  
"Like hell it will," said James, picking up a shotgun I hadn't seen under the bench.   
  
Suddenly a shot rang out. James uttered a cry of pain and fell to the ground, clutching his arm. I turned and looked in horror at the person who'd fired.  
  
"Todd! What are you doing!?"  
  
"What I should have done in the alley," he said venomously. "His meddling has wasted far too much of our time."  
  
Realization dawned on me, and I struggled to keep breathing. He was in league with Mary. He was in this cult of hers. 


	12. Am I Evil?

Here is the second of the two I just wrote. And don't fret any loose ends at the end of the chapter; after all, we're not finished yet. And then there's always the sequel...  
  
Erm, did I say sequel? I meant, uh... um... squirrel. Yeah, those darn squirrels... always scheming...  
  
{Runs away}  
  
********************************  
  
Chapter 12: Am I Evil?  
  
"Todd, how could you do this," I sputtered. "What about Stephanie and me? Are you so blinded by Mary's madness that you'd kill us all?"  
  
"Do you have any idea how hard it was to get this far?" he said angrily. "You're pathetic, Stephanie. Really, you are."  
  
"Wh-what did you just call me?"  
  
I couldn't believe any of this was happening. I strained to keep my sanity, or what was left of it.   
  
"You still don't remember," said Todd matter-of-factly. "Well, anyway, I'm not going to kill you. James here, on the other hand, well..."  
  
"Your stupid plan won't work," spoke James with gritted teeth. "You don't have a carrier for your god."  
  
"Oh, how you're mistaken," said Mary. "I have everything I need right here."  
  
Everyone's eyes turned to me. My anger finally won my emotional battle.  
  
"If you think for one minute that I'm gonna carry anything for you, think again, lady!"  
  
Her expression changed from contemplation to amusement.  
  
"My dear girl, whoever said you were going to be the carrier? You are far too impure for such a great task as that." She shook her head at me. "It is an insult to God to be given a murderer's body."  
  
"I'm not a murderer!" I screamed, pulling my hair.   
  
"But you are," she said. "Why else would you be here? It is written, 'The dead shall seek out sin'."  
  
"Stephanie, you must remember," spoke Todd. "Deep down, you know. You know what happened on that bridge years ago."  
  
I did know. It was right there, and for the first time in years, I remembered.  
  
  
  
The rain was thick, too thick to see very clearly. The radio was blaring, but not loud enough to drown out the laughter in the car. Each time I hit a new pocket of water and swerved to retain control of the vehicle, we'd all burst out laughing again. We were having fun, even if it was dangerous. That's just how we were.   
  
I was doing sixty or so, I think. We crossed onto a really high bridge. My friends put their arms up like they were on a roller coaster, and I laughed all the more. But then, something happened. Something was stopped in the emergency lane on the road's shoulder. A car with no lights on.   
  
I slammed on the gas, swerved to miss it, but it was too late. We hit the car in the back-left corner. The impact was enough to smash the car right through the concrete barrier and over the side of the bridge. One of the passengers was knocked through the windshield as the car plummeted into the river, the son. They never did find his body, only his father's.   
  
I hit my head pretty bad as well, but Kuri... She was in the front seat as well, and without a seatbelt. When we hit, she went halfway through the dash.   
  
I was questioned by the cops, and later an investigator. They showed me the bodies of Kuri and the guy I'd hit (the one they found).   
  
My dad got his lawyer; somehow the charges were dropped. The two friends in the back that survived never spoke to me again. I was alone...  
  
I am alone, a murderer.  
  
  
  
I choked on tears and saliva as I crumbled to the ground, the full recollection of what I'd done now upon me.   
  
"My God," I whispered. "I'm a killer. How could I have blocked this out for so long..."  
  
James looked over at me, and through the pain on his face, I saw a bit of compassion shine through.  
  
"The human mind can't handle things like this," he said. "Trust me, I know what it feels like."  
  
"But Kuri... she was here!" I choked. "She was real!"  
  
"No," said Todd. "Your mind made her real to only you, Stephanie. This town called upon you to make recompense for your sin, and in so doing, it temporarily manifested that thought into flesh and blood. Before this town, though... she was all the doing of your mind. Ever since your sin, that is."   
  
"But what about you!" I said. "You're real! I've known you for a long time, Todd!"  
  
"I was asked to find you years ago by Mr. Robert Peterson. I was asked to make you pay, and here we are."  
  
Robert Peterson, I recalled, was the man whose body they found. I remembered, too, that his grave was right here in Silent Hill. I'd seen it when we first arrived, along with...  
  
"Who is Alessa Gilespie?"  
  
The question dropped like a bomb, and I swore any minute I'd be killed for asking it.  
  
"Where did you hear that name?" hissed Mary.  
  
"It was on a grave in the cemetery, right at the edge of town. I saw a vision near it. The girl was in a hospital bed, with this old lady and a doctor..."  
  
"What you saw," said Mary, "was that impudent child's thoughts. You see, even after she died, her memory remained here. That memory was communicating with you, sending you images of what she'd brought upon herself. But that doesn't matter any more. Her memory has been slain."  
  
I had no idea what she was talking about, and I turned back to Todd.  
  
"Todd, Mr. Peterson is dead. How could he ask you to find me?"  
  
Todd sighed.  
  
"Steph, there are powers at work here that your mind couldn't comprehend. I don't even know how to explain it to you."  
  
"Allow me," said Mary. "You see, it is written, 'God created many beings to lead mankind in obedience. Many gods and angels.' God was sent a prayer by a dying man, and out of pity, She sent Her servant to see it answered."  
  
"You... you mean you're..." I couldn't get the words to escape my constricting throat.  
  
"I am a servant of God," spoke Todd. "That's all that you need to know. When this is over, God shall set me free from this body, this... imperfect machine. We will all bathe in Her glory as she leads us to eternal bliss."  
  
I couldn't be hearing this correctly. It couldn't be true... I was a nutcase, that much was evident. No sane person could talk to someone that wasn't there, let alone block an event so much that even her name is different... But this was too much. Gods? Angels? Todd, or whoever he was, was right. This was beyond me.  
  
"How can you possibly know all this, Mary?" said James who stood once more, holding his blood-soaked arm.  
  
"Honestly, James, haven't you figured it out by now?" Mary tsk'ed at him "I would have that you'd know your precious Mary better than this."  
  
A few moments silence went by, and James' expression turned murderous.  
  
"You're not Mary at all. You're just a figment, just like Maria..."  
  
"Not quite," said Mary. "Mary is still here, but she's... let's see, how can I put it so you'll understand... she's sleeping. She wasn't at first, mind you. She has a strong will, I'll give her that, but nothing can stand in the way of God's work.   
  
You brought me here, James, with that ceremony. Yes, you didn't realize that if you asked a request so large, you'd have to give something in return. God answered my prayer as well, and allowed me to come back... to finish what I started seventeen years ago, when that heathen, Mason, ruined everything. So perhaps I should be thanking you. After all, if not for you, I wouldn't be here."  
  
James was thunderstruck. A few moments of choked silence ensued, when he finally spoke again.  
  
"So, Dahlia Gillespie, is it? I read about you. I know how mad you used to be. Apparently nothing has changed. You say you'll bring about God, but I tell you now... I'll kill you before I let you defile Mary's body with your perversity."   
  
His tone was venomous, but Dahlia simply smiled.  
  
"What makes you think you can conceive this god, anyway?" I piped up. "You think you're pure?! Ha!"  
  
She turned to me and frowned.  
  
"Not me, child. Mary, whose soul is untainted, will be the carrier of God. And while it is true that my daughter seemed to be the only one qualified with that kind of power, I have learned that even this body can be a decent, if not temporary, substitute."  
  
"Then...why do you need me?" I asked. "If I'm not the carrier, why do all of this?"  
  
"The ceremony," said Todd, "requires a sacrifice of blood."  
  
My body went numb. I despaired. It couldn't end like this, could it?   
  
"Be glad," spoke Dahlia, "that 'Todd' has protected you as well as he has. He could have very well let this town torture you to death. But now, not only can you pay for your crime, you can play a part in the greatest event ever to occur." 


	13. Nine Tenths of the Law

After so long, I finally had the time to get this next chapter up. Hooray! Word of the wise, don't eat while reading this one. It's chock full of... stuff.   
  
Anyway, I've been super busy doing artwork, in case anyone was wondering...  
  
{crickets chirping}  
  
...Thought so. Well, if anyone wants to see some of it, go to http://www.artwanted.com/animeflux  
  
That's all for now. Pweeeze keep reviewing, k? And if anyone wants to comment on my artwork, feel free to do so, either on the site or in your review.   
  
********************************  
  
Chapter 13: Nine Tenths of the Law  
  
Through the murk and gloom of the morning fog, I was dragged through the dilapidated carnival to the place of my eminent destruction. Todd soon tired of trying to drag my limp form and resorted to tossing me over his shoulders. I didn't care. Nothing really mattered anymore. I was a manslayer. I'd been running from the past for what seemed like so long, all because I couldn't fess up to what I'd done. And now, along with everything else I'd learned, I was faced with one simple and inevitable truth: I was going to die, and there was nothing I could do about it.  
  
Perhaps Dahlia was right; maybe I should've been happy to lend my part to this whole God business. I just couldn't put stock in something so creepy. What kind of God could create all the nightmares I'd witnessed in this forsaken place? The rust, the blood... so much blood... that thought stuck in my mind.  
  
We'd arrived at a building, one that looked just like everything else here. Grime and dirt were caked along brick walls with rusty metal doors. It didn't look special, at least, no more special than the souvenir shops I'd seen at the entrance. However, once I was tossed inside (along with James), I knew this place was different. Much more different, in fact, than any place I'd seen in the entire town.  
  
Bodies hung from the ceiling by great hooks. They were once people, but time and decomposition had taken their toll from their soggy flesh. Flies buzzed furiously around the room, their young larvae squirming in and out of the bodies' rotting tissue. As if the sights weren't bad enough, the smell was atrocious. I thought I might die simply by breathing... in fact I just about wished for it.  
  
James was livid by this point, having been held at gunpoint by Dahlia the entire way here. After being thrown into the room beside me, he jumped to his feet.  
  
"What is this!" he spat. "This is no illusion; these are real people! What did you do, Dahlia!!"  
  
"They were trials," said Dahlia, a smirk growing across her stolen face. "Trials that failed. Don't worry, you won't be in there long."  
  
The door shut and clicked, signaling our imprisonment. Light seeped in through cracks in the ceiling, but not much.  
  
Blood... blood everywhere. It intoxicated my senses. At first I thought I'd throw up. Its noxiousness was overwhelming.  
  
"Don't worry, Stephanie," said James, searching the door for some way out. "They won't take us so easily. Besides, I've been in worse scrapes than this."  
  
I was enraptured by my surroundings. I couldn't take my eyes off the dead bodies, the flesh. I could feel madness sinking its cold tendrils into my mind, and for the first time in days, I smiled. Not the smile of a normal, happy person... the smile of a condemned murderer. A beast, yes, that was the way to describe myself. After all, I deserved this place, this... personal hell. It was joy to be punished so.   
  
So many thoughts jumped into my head at once. I could embrace this newfound personality with no problems. Who would I answer to? It was my true self anyway, I'd simply been running away from it. No more, though.   
  
Once again I looked at the bodies. I realized they weren't rotting carcasses put here to horrify me. It was a feast prepared in my honor. I was home, right where I belonged. In earnest, I rushed forward.  
  
"Well, never mind that idea," said James as he backed away from the door. He wiped the sweat off his brow and shook his head. "We'll just have to be ready when they come back, right?"  
  
There was no answer... only muffled sounds.  
  
"Stephanie? Where'd you go?"  
  
Something was going on over in the corner of the room, but still no one spoke. James slowly walked toward the noises, squinting to see in the faltering light.   
  
"Hey Stephanie, what are you-"  
  
He froze in place as he finally realized where I was. Blood was dripping from my lips from each bite I took, and I relished in the taste of my world.   
  
"What in God's name are you doing!" cried James, struggling not to vomit.  
  
The door suddenly swung open with a bang, and Todd appeared once more alongside Dahlia. Their reaction, though, was much the same as James'.  
  
"What the-" said Todd.  
  
"James," said Dahlia quietly, "what has happened here?"  
  
"You think I know!?" he screamed. "One minute she's just sitting there, and the next she's chowing down on... on..."   
  
"Did she say anything?" she asked, tight-lipped.  
  
"No..."  
  
Todd started to grow nervous, and he slowly stepped backwards.  
  
"Th-this wasn't-"  
  
BANG!  
  
Todd spun around with the bullet's impact and slammed against the wall, sliding to the floor. A small trickle of blood seeped from the wound, just to the right of his shoulder.   
  
I'd seen the blast as well, and I put the juicy limb on the floor, eager to watch the violence.  
  
Dahlia spun around as well, her gun pointed at the perpetrator; once she saw who it was, however, her gun dropped from her now quivering hands.  
  
"Y-you're...you're..." she croaked, backing towards James.  
  
The gun was fired by a young girl, probably in her teens. She wore a white sleeveless jacket over an orange top, along with a skirt and calf-length boots. Blonde, matted hair hung in blood-soaked strands from her head. At once I recognized her from one of the visions I'd had.  
  
"Hello, Mom," she said venomously, holding the gun steadily. "Have you missed me?"  
  
A slight grin crept across her face, and she looked from Dahlia to James. Her eyes finally rested on me, and stayed for what felt like forever. I was entranced by her stare, and I soon smiled back at her. Her grin grew, and before anyone knew it, we both started laughing-- a harsh, cruel laughter that surprised even myself. Where had that voice come from, I wondered?   
  
I laughed until tears streamed from my face, until finally it died out. James had a grim look on his face, contemplation evident. Dahlia looked ready to die from fright, and Todd, well... saying he was angry was an understatement.  
  
Suddenly I found myself on my feet, though not of my own volition. What a wonder, I thought to myself, as my feet walked forward.   
  
"Now," said the girl and myself in unison, "you shall pay for your wickedness. The will of God was never yours to dictate, Dahlia Gillespie. For your transgressions, you shall get what you deserve."  
  
My hand shot out and grabbed Dahlia's neck from behind. She struggled and screamed, but there was no escaping my grip. I couldn't help but chuckle at her futile attempts to escape. Where had I gotten this kind of power? It was wonderful, and I wanted more.  
  
"Alessa, you cannot do this!" cried Dahlia. "Whatever it is that you're planning, it cannot stop God's rebirth!"  
  
"Silence!" shouted Alessa and I. "This is far beyond your petty resurrection."  
  
We turned and scowled at Todd's quivering rage.  
  
"And you," we hissed. "You shall be punished for disobedience."  
  
"I did everything you asked!" he shouted. "I've done nothing but what you told me to, and you go and shoot me!"  
  
"Jedidiah," we tsk'ed, "you were told specifically to leave James alone, yet you shot him. You were also told not to allow Claudia to fulfill her plans, yet she did... to some extent. My intervention is the only thing that has prevented a total takeover. Be glad that I did, in fact, retain control, or you'd be in the hands of Metatron right now."  
  
As we spoke, I started to feel an unrest within me. I knew that something wasn't right, that this couldn't be as wonderful as I'd previously felt. I knew, as our sentence finished, that this wasn't me at all. This wasn't my personality. I was a puppet. Someone or something was using me, just as it was using Alessa.   
  
The realization came too late, however, as my controller forced my grip tighter than ever on Dahlia's neck.   
  
"And now, Gillespie," we said menacingly as we turned our attention back on Dahlia, "you die." 


	14. Is there a Doctor in the House?

Now I know you're saying, "Sweet mother of sassafrass! He updated!!".  
  
Yeah, I hear you. I do apologize for the lack thereof, but Real Life(tm) has been getting in the way lately. Between creating a website, doing commissions, and watching Reloaded several dozen times, I've been booked. ^__^*  
  
But fear not, I wouldn't leave you all in the dark. Nor would I end the story so quickly. The fun's just getting started, my friends. So read up, and please keep the comments coming.   
  
Au revoir!  
  
********************************  
  
Chapter 14: Is there a Doctor in the House?  
  
Dahlia squirmed with every ounce of strength she could muster, but nothing could break the hold I now had on her. Alessa softly put her hand on Dahlia's chest, and with in a voice like thunder, we spoke in unity.  
  
"Dahlia Gillespie," we roared, "for your sins against your fellow man and for failing to meet your initial punishment upon death, you are hereby sentenced to eternity in Hell."  
  
A scream like nothing I'd ever heard wretched its way out of Dahlia's throat, like six thousands nails against a chalkboard. Then, as abruptly as it'd started, the screaming stopped, and a black, amorphous cloud rose from Dahlia's body. It floated several feet into the air before stopping and suddenly vanishing in a clap of light. My grasp released instantly and the body fell limply to the floor.  
  
James rushed to her side, holding her body to him. I was no longer under the control of... whatever it was. Before I could celebrate, however, the world around me started to dim. Sirens blared into my head, and the world tipped me over. My vision swam with images of everything that'd happened in this town, of rust and blood, murder and deceit. I just wanted it to be over, to go home... Home... I could scarcely remember what it looked like. It seemed as if I'd been in Silent Hill for years.   
  
The swirling world slowly ground to a halt, and my eyes opened to darkness. For a moment, I thought that I, too, had been sent to Hell. But then again, what could Hell throw at me that Silent Hill hadn't already?  
  
I realized that I was laying down, not on hard cement or even rusted metal, but on something soft. It certainly wasn't my bed, but it was a nice change from the previous environment.   
  
I slowly tried to sit up, but something shot pain into my right arm, and I quickly laid back down. It felt like something was in my arm, and upon further inspection, I felt tape covering the area along with a tube coming from it. An I.V? Was I in a hospital bed? Slowly, and painfully, I removed what indeed felt like an I.V. needle from my arm and let it fall to the floor. I pushed my legs over the side, and cold tile met my feet. Now that I thought about it, the whole room was cold. My clothes were gone, replaced by what felt like a skimpy hospital robe (I hate those things).   
  
I lightly got to my feet, and almost immediately my knees gave way. I clamored to hold onto the side of the bed, all the time wondering how I'd suddenly gotten so weak. I'd just had Dahlia in a death grip, and now I could hardly walk?   
  
Holding onto the bed and then the wall, I found a light switch and flipped it on. Florescent lights flickered a few times and buzzed into operation, illuminating a small hospital room. Not bad for pitch black, eh?  
  
The room itself wasn't rusty or full of metal grating, thank God. In fact, it looked like a normal hospital room. Normal, that is, except for the thick lining of dust covering everything. How long had I been in here? Or maybe the staff just doesn't keep up with housecleaning?   
  
I hobbled over to the foot of the bed and took a clipboard out of the plastic tray attached. It was my chart, but upon reading it, I was sure this was a dream.   
  
It was dated March 2, 2003. I'd entered Silent Hill in late 2000.   
  
This couldn't be right. I couldn't have been in that town for three years.   
  
I scanned the charts and saw that I was hospitalized for malnutrition and 'trauma from events unknown to us'. Apparently I'd gone into some sort of coma, but... for three years?? No way.  
  
I wanted answers now. I was sick and tired of being used, scared, and pushed around. Someone was going to tell me what was going on, if I had to choke it out of them.   
  
Renewed strength seemed to flow into my limbs, and I no longer needed the wall to walk around. Albeit, I was still a bit wobbly, but who cares...  
  
I opened the door, and dim light and thick dust invaded my senses. I sneezed a few times and crept into the hallway. Gurneys and paper were scattered all over the place, along with various trays and equipment. It looked as if a war had broken out in this place, but it'd definitely been over for quite some time. I couldn't understand it... no people, everything in shambles....   
  
Was I still in Silent Hill?  
  
The thought scared me into action, and I quickly ran back into my room. I located a small closet on the wall, and sure enough, inside were my clothes I'd last been wearing, along with my backpack. I slapped my clothes on and double-checked the pack. Everything was still inside from the trip. I picked up the flashlight and flipped it on. I couldn't believe it... it still worked. I had no idea flashlight batteries lasted so long!  
  
At this point, common sense kicked in. If I was indeed still in Silent Hill, there was no way in hell I was going to go out there without something to defend myself. Guns were out of the question, since this was a hospital. However, one of the bars on the bottom of my hospital bed was loose, and after a few tugs, it came right off. I swung it around, getting a feel for the 2-foot stick of lead. Not as good as a real crowbar, I thought, but then again, where would I find one of those, anyway?   
  
I went back into the hallway and slowly made my way towards the source of light. I got to a pair of double doors and walked through into an entrance area. In the center was a nurses station where people could check in or whatever. Over on the left, a small gift shop was surrounded on all sides by panes of glass. The gift shop door was, of course, locked.   
  
I don't know how long I'd been in this place, but one thing was for sure-I was starving. I smashed the lead bar into the glass and shattered one of its panes. Carefully, I crawled into the shop and picked up some candy bars and sodas, shoving them into my pack. Getting back into the entrance, I looked at my handiwork. It reminded me of Todd and those infamous boots of his.   
  
A new question entered my mind... Where the heck was he? Or James and Mary and Alessa...?  
  
On a mission for answers, I found the exit to the hospital. It was locked, but that didn't stop me from smashing the glass. It was sunset outside, and I was greeted by an empty parking lot next to an empty highway. I turned and looked at the hospital. Brahms Medical Center, it said above the doors.   
  
So I wasn't in Silent Hill. If memory served me correctly, Brahms was the next town over. So where was everyone? 


	15. Wretched Hive

Quick update, huh? I think I deserve a gold star or something. Anyway, our intrepid heroine delves deeper into mystery. [cue spooky music]  
  
Have fun, and don't forget to floss!  
  
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Chapter 15: Wretched Hive  
  
I walked for what seemed like hours along the deserted highway. The entire time, I'd not seen one car, person, or anything else. Perhaps this was normal for this town... but I didn't think so. It seemed far too familiar.   
  
Munching on the candy bars and junk food I'd "borrowed" from the hospital, I took an exit off the highway towards what looked like civilization. It was completely dark by now, with the crickets chirping and the moon shining brightly. All in all, it wasn't a bad night. Much better than where I'd previously been, that was for sure.  
  
I did, in fact, arrive in civilization. It was still a section of Brahms, but there were at least some cars parked here and there on the streets. At the corner, there was a bar called Bernie's. Lights were on inside, and I could just make out some old country tune being played. Finally, I said to myself.   
  
I walked in and was bombarded with cigarette smoke and the pungent smell of liquor. Several shabby tables sat under low lighting, surrounded by the grubbiest, low-life men I'd ever seen. Any one of them could probably slit my throat and have their fun with me before I could even manage a scream. Suddenly, Silent Hill sounded a lot friendlier.   
  
I walked up to the main bar in the middle of the room, trying to avoid the rude glances and whistles I was receiving along the way. Somewhere, a hand pinched me, and if I weren't in such desperate need of answers, I'd have turned around and slugged the assailant. The bartender, a man equally as filthy as anyone else in the room, eyed me suspiciously as I approached. His apron was stained beyond anything a laundromat could remedy, and his head was completely devoid of hair, save his thick, bushy red eyebrows. He'd been washing a glass when I came in, but he set it down once I got up to the bar.  
  
"What're you sellin'?" he growled.  
  
"Selling?"  
  
"Yeah, sellin'. And lemme tell you somethin', girlie. I don't take kindly to lil' girls struttin' in here cryin' harlot, got it?" His brows furrowed into a scowl. "Ain't good for 'em, and ain't good for business."  
  
"Look," I said, now thoroughly annoyed, "I'm not 'sellin' anything. I just wanna know what's going on around here."  
  
His expression didn't change.  
  
"What's goin' on?" he said. "What's it look like? This is a bar. Don't people drink and carry on in bars where you're from?"  
  
This was going nowhere. I was just about to walk out when a thought hit me.   
  
"You ever heard of a police officer named Jody Mimms?"  
  
Suddenly the bar got real quiet. Every conversation stopped, every eye turned to me. Even the jukebox seemed to have died down.  
  
"What business you got with Mimms?" growled the bartender, though a little less menacing.   
  
"Please," I implored, "she helped me out a while back, and I wanted to go see her."  
  
"I'm afraid that ain't possible, lil' girl," he said, looking down at his glass.   
  
I looked around and noticed that the eyes watching me had gone from lusty to frightened. Interesting.  
  
"Why not? Where is she?"  
  
"Well, she was at the station. Least, that's where she used to be, before she cracked..."  
  
"Cracked?"  
  
"Look!" he snarled, slamming the glass down on the counter. "I've had jus' about enough of yer questions, so haul outta here! Move!"  
  
He didn't have to tell me twice. I ran straight out of the bar and didn't stop until I was far down the street. Nice people in Brahms, I thought. Part of me wanted to go back in and bash every one of them with my lead bar, but that didn't seem plausible at the moment.  
  
Everyone here knew Jody, that much was evident. He said she'd 'cracked', so they all thought she was crazy. Maybe she'd related the story of Silent Hill and got locked up? Not if I had anything to say about it. But I had a ton of questions to ask her, the most important one being where the hell she'd gone after we went to visit the Sunderlands.   
  
He mentioned the station, so I could only assume he meant the police station. Looking around, I didn't see it offhand. Too bad I didn't have one of those handy maps like in Silent Hill.   
  
I walked along the sidewalk for a while, the streetlamps shining down from above. Somewhere inside my mind, a little voice begged to just catch a cab and go home. However, I hadn't listened to that voice in quite some time, and I wasn't about to start now. Not when so many questions still remained unanswered.   
  
I didn't see anyone else about as I walked. All the shops were closed up and locked, and except for the occasional passing car, there were no signs of activity.   
  
I got to a building marked "Brahms Center for Tourism", and walked up to it. True, the building was locked up, but a small plaque outside displayed a map. Excellent. The town itself wasn't very big. One could probably drive it in less than ten minutes.   
  
The police station stood nearly a quarter mile from the tourist center, so it took me a little while to walk there. Luckily the lights were still on inside, so I walked in through the double glass doors.  
  
A small semicircular counter stood in the foyer, behind which sat a squat, balding officer reading the newspaper. He set it down upon my entry.  
  
"Can I help you, miss?" he said politely.  
  
"Yeah, can I talk with officer Mimms, please?"  
  
His expression changed immediately, from politeness, to shock, to severity.  
  
"Look, kid, I'll tell you like I told all the reporters. She ain't here, alright? She's gone. I'da thought after all this time you people'd leave her in peace."  
  
"Sir," I said with strained politeness, "I'm not doing anything dishonest here, honestly. I just want to find her and see how she's doing. That's all, nothing more."  
  
He stared at me for a few moments, trying to decide what to tell me. I could almost hear the gears grinding inside his head. Finally he sighed and shook his head.  
  
"Well, be that as it may, she's still not here. If you really wanna see her, she's over at the institute, but I doubt they'll let you in."  
  
"Institute? I'm not from around here..."   
  
"Brahms Psychiatric Institute. It's over on East Tower Road. Can't miss it."  
  
I gave him my thanks and set out. 


	16. Don't Talk to Strangers

I think this is some kinda record. 3 chaps in less than a week? Inspiration strikes again! ^__^  
  
Well, anyway, I'm workin hard for you, ladies and gents. In return, please give comments, okie day?  
  
Toodles.  
  
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Chapter 16: Don't Talk to Strangers  
  
The officer was right; I couldn't miss the place. It took up practically an entire block on East Tower Road. The building itself was very old looking, probably built somewhere in the 1920's or 30's. A massive expanse of courtyard separated the building from the street, along with a 10-foot-high cast iron fence. Luckily the gate was open, but it looked like visiting hours were over. Only a few cars were in the lot, probably belonging to the staff and security.   
  
"Here goes nothing," I whispered to myself as I crossed onto the path leading up through the courtyard.  
  
A large clock stood atop the entrance, proclaiming the time to be 9:47. Sounded about right, judging how much I'd walked that night. I opened a heavy glass door, reinforced by metal bars from the inside, and walked into a reception area. The walls were covered with pasty green wallpaper that seemed to be mildewing in several areas, while the floor was white, cracked tile. Whether or not it was the architect's intention, the place gave me the creeps.  
  
No one manned the front desk. That was odd, I thought. Shouldn't security at least be watching or something?  
  
Nearby, I heard scuffling sounds coming down a hallway. An old man was approaching, hunched over and wrinkled as a prune, wearing a faded yellow shirt covered by a maroon sweater, and brown pants. He muttered incoherently to himself as he walked, and I found myself wondering if he'd escaped one of the cells or if he actually worked here. He scuttled into the foyer and stopped, peering up at me as if I were an odd speck on his glasses. His eyes squinted this way and that, and I didn't quite know what to do.   
  
"Well," he piped up in a weak, raspy voice, "we'd best be off then, don't you think? C'mon."  
  
I simply blinked at him.  
  
"Well, do you want to see her or don't you?" he said.  
  
"H-how did you-"  
  
"Bah! Questions! You've asked enough of 'em today, I think. Either follow me or go away."  
  
He turned and started scuttling down an adjacent hallway. What choice did I have? I followed.   
  
I couldn't quite fathom what I was doing. I mean, following some crazy old coot into a mental facility in the dead of night? And how did he know why I was here, or that I'd been asking questions? Again, that little voice in my head tried to be heard, but I'd hear none of it just yet.  
  
"Excuse me," I said softly as we rounded another corner.  
  
"Hmmhh?"  
  
"Where are you taking me?"  
  
"Cell block 3 in the circular ward. Why?"  
  
"Well, to be honest, I'm a little nervous about following a stranger into the bowels of a nuthouse."  
  
He paused for a moment, chuckled, and started walking again.  
  
"Name's Dusty. There, we ain't strangers no more, now are we?"  
  
I tried several more times to get some information out of him, all the while turning down hallways and stairs. Nothing worked; either he'd make some off-the-wall comment or ignore me altogether. I ultimately decided he was no good for conversation, and I resigned myself to his direction (Stupid idea? Probably...).   
  
I started noticing as we went that the lighting was gradually becoming dimmer. Maybe it was fatigue setting in, I didn't know. Something about it didn't seem right, though.  
  
I was just starting to change my mind about the whole thing when the little man stopped in front of me quite suddenly and started digging in a shirt pocket. He brought out some keys and shakily picked one, unlocking the door right in front of us.   
  
"Through this door, room 3F," he said. "And I'll only warn you once: Go only in that one room, no other. Understand?"  
  
I nodded my head stupidly as he opened the door. A gust of cold air whooshed in as the door opened, chilling me in a way I hadn't experienced since... well... that town. I had a real, real bad feeling about this, but if Jody was in here, it was worth a look.   
  
I walked into a large circular room, dimly lit by moonlight streaming in through a ceiling window. A few steps into the room, the door clanked shut behind me and electronically locked. Oh great, I screamed in my mind. I unzipped my backpack and tensed, ready to whip out the lead bar if need be. I'd worry about how to get out in just a minute. First thing was first.  
  
All the doors on the walls of this room were closed and locked, each only identified by a number and letter. Several of the doors had whimpers or scratching noises emanating from inside, and I had to work hard to shut my imagination off for the time being.   
  
The middle of the room had a circular nurse station, though no one was around. I was sure I couldn't just go up to the door and walk right in, so I looked around at the nurses' station for some sort of lock controls. Sure enough, on the inside of the station was a square panel with small black buttons, each labeled according to the room. I found the one labeled 3F and pressed it. I heard a small beep and a click, but nothing else.   
  
Walking over to the room marked 3F, I took a deep breath. I sure hope I know what I'm doing, I thought to myself as I opened the door.   
  
Another blast of cold air came out, this time much different than before. It wasn't the air itself that felt cold. It ran far deeper than my skin, chilling my very soul. My "real bad feeling" amplified itself exponentially.  
  
"J-Jody?" I croaked, straining to see in the failing light.  
  
"Who's there," whispered a voice.  
  
A figure, shrouded in shadows, was huddled into the corner. Although I couldn't quite see, it looked to be in a fetal position.  
  
"It's me, S-Stephanie... Jody?"  
  
"You can feel it too, can't you?" said the voice. It was definitely female, but I knew in an instant this wasn't Jody Mimms.  
  
"I'm sorry, I think I made a mistake," I said, backing up.  
  
"You've been there, to Silent Hill. Haven't you."  
  
It was more a statement than a question, but one that took me completely off guard.  
  
"H-How did you know that?" I said, almost in a whisper myself.  
  
"I know, because I've been there too," she said. "Of course, no one believes me about... everything that happened. I don't really blame them..."  
  
"You're... not Jody Mimms, are you?"   
  
"Jody?" she said, this time a bit of interest sparking her voice. "You knew Jody? She was a good friend, and a hell of an athlete. Could outrun me any day."  
  
This was too much. I had to ask.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
Out of the shadows, the dark figure stood and walked forward, the light making its way to her features. A woman stood before me, with long blonde hair and fair skin. She was thin, probably thinner than she'd normally be, and dark circles rested beneath her eyes. A small gown covered her frame, draping to the floor. The only thing that seemed particularly odd was an ugly scar on her right cheekbone that ran back to her ear.   
  
"My name is Bennett," she said softly. "Cybil Bennett." 


	17. All Alone

Did you folks forget about me? Or rather, did you think I forgot about you?? Bah, I could do no such thing! Not when there are so many loose ends to tie up. And just think, we're not even to the end yet. Holy prolonging plotlines, Batman!  
  
As for my lack of chappies lately, I've been busy, working a lot. A man's gotta eat, ya know? Anyway, I give you the next chapter; I know many of you have been dying to continue.   
  
********************************  
  
Chapter 17: All Alone  
  
Cybil sat on her dusty cot while she related her visit to Silent Hill. She said she'd gone there over 20 years ago, but that didn't make sense. This woman didn't appear to be much older than 25 or 30 years old. She was an officer investigating a report of drug use in the Silent Hill area, but when she got there, well... she found much more.  
  
She'd arrived and found a man named Harry Mason, whom she later helped to find his missing daughter, Cheryl. After the ordeal, she and Harry escaped the town along with a newborn child. I didn't understand that part, but I let her continue anyway. She told the police chief back in Brahms about what'd happened, but no one believed her. Several weeks later, she was institutionalized for her "wild behavior" and had been imprisoned here ever since.  
  
"Cybil," I said, trying to keep the skepticism out of my voice, "how could you have gone there over 20 years ago? You don't look that old..."  
  
"You can't judge time correctly in that place, Stephanie," she said. "It's a reality of its own, with rules of its own. Time doesn't work the same there."  
  
Well that would certainly explain why I seemed to have been in a "coma" for 3 years. Also...  
  
"Jody said that she'd been sent to find an officer who'd been assigned to a drug trafficking report. That was you, wasn't it?"  
  
"More than likely," she said, hanging her head. "With no word from me, they probably would've sent the team to find me a few days after I left."  
  
"You said you were gone for 20 years. I assume you mean 20 years in.. umm.. real time?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose you could say that. Although I was really only in Silent Hill for a few days at most."  
  
"If Jody left a few days after you..."  
  
I didn't want to ask any more, but Cybil seemed to know where I was going with it.  
  
"Yes," she said, "she, too, must've been considered missing for many years. How many years, I couldn't say. Depends on how long she was in that town."  
  
My mind swirled with all the numbers, tried to logically calculate the vast differences in time. Cybil had been considered missing for two decades. Yet, when she came back, she still looked the same (if not a bit unnerved). Jody went to Silent Hill only a few days after Cybil's disappearance, and then she, too, went missing, according to the real world.   
  
However, if Jody had chosen to leave... if somehow, she'd escaped the town, then she could've made it back to Brahms before Cybil had ever returned. It was now twenty years after Cybil's disappearance. If Jody had indeed returned prior to Cybil's return...  
  
That meant that Jody had arrived in Brahms years ago. It also meant that, in lieu of all the time distortion, these two officers had first gone to Silent Hill around the time I was born.   
  
I railed against the logic, trying to make sense of it. I finally resigned myself to Todd's little speech: "This goes far beyond your understanding."  
  
This did nothing to solve the fact that I still had to find Jody. If only someone could tell me how to find her. Cybil obviously didn't know, and I didn't have the slightest clue where James, Mary, or Todd had gone. Suddenly, a thought occurred to me.   
  
"Whatever happened to Harry?"  
  
"Don't know. He said he wanted to go somewhere quiet where he could raise his daughter in peace. After what we went through, though... well, I doubt if anyone could be peaceful ever again."  
  
"I think I know what you mean," I said, staring vacantly at the window. This whole thing had taken more of a toll on me than I wanted to admit. Would I ever be the same again? Could I go on knowing I'd taken innocent life?   
  
"Cybil... what should I do? I went to Silent Hill with two friends, but later... I found out they weren't really who I thought they were. I met Jody, but she disappeared. Now I'm all alone. Should I just go home, or..."  
  
I pushed back the lump in my throat as I waited for her answer. She looked at me with sunken eyes, eyes that had seen more terror and evil than anyone had a right to.   
  
"Stephanie, I don't have the answers for you. You've stepped into something that wasn't meant for humankind. Only you can get yourself out of it." Her tone was sad, as if she knew deep down that I'd never be free of what'd happened. Maybe she was right. She looked down and took my hand. "Just be honest with yourself, ok? Don't delude yourself with what you want to be true. Do what you know, deep down, is right."  
  
I looked at her, frail, ashen... a shell of who she used to be. Would this happen to me? Was it happening already? It had to stop. Regretfully, I knew what I had to do.  
  
"I have to go find Jody. I can't just leave her in a nightmare, much less one of my own making."  
  
I took a deep breath and looked into Cybil's hollow eyes.  
  
"If that means I have to go back to Silent Hill, then so be it." 


	18. Helping Hand

Yes, I know, it's been months since I updated. Been doing oodles of artwork and comic stuff. So, if you're wondering, yes, I'm still here. And this lil' fanfic won't go unfinished, cross my heart and hope to hemorrhage.   
  
This chapter isn't huge, but it's longer than the last one. I know some have complained that they're getting shorter, so this is an attempt to remedy that.   
  
Have fun, and write reviews! Lots of reviews!! Wheeee!  
  
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Chapter 18: Helping Hand  
  
I reached for the doorknob and paused, looking back at the broken shell of the former cop.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to leave with me?" I asked hopefully.  
  
"Sorry," she said with a sad smile, "but I don't belong out there. I've been here so long; I wouldn't even know where to begin picking up the pieces."  
  
I couldn't say I blamed her; after all, I'd had my fill of insanity already, and I wasn't even done yet. As I gazed one last time around her small, dark room, I couldn't help but wonder if this was where I'd end up some day. Assuming I lived, that is.  
  
I exited the room with a polite goodbye, and the door closed with a click, signaling the lock activating. This time, however, things were different. The walls and floor looked to have been through years of water damage, corroded beyond repair. As I gawked at the sudden change, a familiar taste presented itself in my mouth. Copper. At the same time, the scent of blood washed over me, and I knew that things had taken a turn for the worst.   
  
A piercing shriek, like nails on a chalkboard, shook me from my thoughts, but as I tried to find its source, the room itself seemed to grow darker. I reached into my backpack, and out of it I pulled my flashlight and the lead bar. As I flipped on the flashlight, the shrieking stopped. I waved the beam of light all over the room, but nothing presented itself. In fact, the only sound was the drip drip drip of water from the ceiling.   
  
Suddenly a new scream filled the air, but this time I knew where it came from. From inside her room, Cybil started screaming at the top of her lungs.  
  
"Oh God! No!! Help me!! Not again!"  
  
"Cybil!" I cried, frantically running to the control box. Her screaming became more frantic, and I could hear her nails scraping at the door as she begged to get free.  
  
As I went around the semicircular nurse station, something plowed into me from the side. I slammed against the counter and rolled onto the floor, sending my flashlight and weapon careening off to the side. Something fell out of my backpack and hit the floor with a metal thud. I reached over and wrapped my hand around something cold and hard… my lead bar? No, it was thicker, with a handle…  
  
The gun! It was the gun that James had given me back at the hotel. How could I have been so stupid!? It'd been in my backpack this whole time, and instead I'd been carrying around a heavy lead bar!? Good thinking, there, Steph—  
  
WHAM!!  
  
My moment of self-criticism was interrupted by a massive blow to the torso, sending me backwards several feet. Flat on my back, I glanced to my side and noticed the flashlight right by my head. I quickly grabbed it and flashed it in front of me.   
  
For once, I recognized my attacker. It was another one of those gurney-monster things that had attacked Todd and me back near the lake. This one was a bit smaller, but my aching body told me that, in this case, size truly didn't matter. With the light shining across its body, the monster shrieked even louder, its sickly white skin sizzling under the luminescent beam.   
  
Cool, I thought. So light hurts these guys. My happiness was quickly squashed, however, as the creature positioned itself to charge once more.   
  
Aiming as best I could, I squeezed the trigger. The monster screamed, missing a step and falling to the ground. It kicked at the air as it used its arms to try and right itself, and I noticed a small hole in its "shoulder" with blood spewing forth. I refused to let this thing get back up, and, standing only a few feet away, I pumped round after round into the beast. After a half dozen shots, the monster shuddered and fell still and silent.   
  
It felt odd, having just taken a life. I couldn't say I felt bad about it; after all, it was self defense. Besides, it wasn't a human life I'd taken, anyway.  
  
Wait… human life….  
  
"Cybil!" I shouted, remembering her pleas for help just moments earlier. Now, all was quiet.   
  
I ran around to the nurse station and found the button panel, mashing 3F. Once more, I heard a beeping sound followed by a click. I ran to her room and threw the door open. The room, however, was empty. Gawking, I flashed the light all over the tiny little room, but there was absolutely no evidence that Cybil, or anyone else, had ever been here.   
  
No evidence, that is, except for long gashes running down the door. Nail marks.   
  
I gasped, and with a hand over my mouth, I backed out of the room. Whatever had happened to the ex-cop, it had taken what was left of her life in this world.  
  
"Cybil," I sobbed, sinking to my knees. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you. Cybil…"  
  
For several minutes I cried, kneeling there on the soggy, water-ridden carpet of the circle ward. The only answer to my whimpers was the droplets of water hitting the floor around me.   
  
Pulling myself together, I got up and looked around. The door I originally came through seemed to be the only way out. Of course, there were the other "patient" doors, but I wasn't about to go opening all those, especially not after what'd just happened.  
  
I walked over to the door and noticed something rather disturbing—it had no doorknob. I pushed on it, pulled it, but to no avail. It was locked, and I was stuck.   
  
Wait a sec, I thought. I walked back over to the nurse station and took a closer look at the button panel. There at the bottom was a button marked "main". I pressed it, and the door popped open. Three cheers for technology! I picked up my lead pipe (which was, by this time, almost comical to think about) and headed back into the hallway.  
  
"Found what you were looking for?"  
  
I nearly jumped out of my skin, and, stifling my scream, I turned to look at Dusty. The old man had a stern, yet quizzical countenance as he surveyed me like a little boy might survey a bug in a jar.   
  
"Where'd you come from!?" I squeaked. "No, scratch that. What just happened in there!?" I said, pointing back towards the door.  
  
The wrinkly man waddled over and looked through the window, then back at me.  
  
"What ARE you talking about?" he asked. From his tone, you'd think I'd just asked him to stick his hand in a toilet or something.  
  
I pressed my face against the window and looked in. Everything in the room appeared normal. No water damage, no gurney-corpse-thing, nothing.   
  
"What!?" I shrieked in disbelief.  
  
"Quiet," snapped Dusty. "You'll wake everyone up. Now come on, and keep up." With that, he brushed past me and started down the hall.  
  
I was incredulous, but I followed. Getting lost in this place was the last thing I wanted. Several twists and turns later, the light had gotten brighter, and soon we were back in the foyer of the institute.   
  
"Well," I said awkwardly, "I guess I should thank you for your help..?"  
  
"Don't thank me," he said with a snort. "I was asked to help you, that's all. You're on your own now. Be careful out there; things aren't always what they seem, you know."  
  
He turned and started shuffling down the hallway. Before he turned the corner, I called out to him.  
  
"Eh?" he said.  
  
"Who… who asked you to help me, Dusty?"  
  
"…Jedidiah," he replied, vanishing around the corner. 


End file.
